Shinwa
by allekto
Summary: AU- Daisuke gets pulled into a world of psychic energy & magic by Ken and the gang. yaoi & yuri to come. rated for language/violence IT'S HERE! it's here! an update!!!
1. Default Chapter

Notes: This is completely AU- as in no Digimon actually show up… well, they might, but not in Digimon form if you get my meaning. Doesn't mean I own them no matter what form they may take. A lot of this one deals with random mythology that I've studied for years. Need an avenue to get it out some way I suppose. So, without (much) further adieu… 

Disclaimers/Warnings: I've written all yaoi in the past so you can only imagine… I don't own the characters from Digimon, and I sure as hell don't own the pantheons referred to in the story… Keep in mind this is a work of fiction, so some folklore may be changed a little to better suit my purposes but I'll try to stick to the guidelines as strictly as possible.

There are actually 3 different versions of this story. The first was an original fic- my characters, the second had Ken as the first character and Daisuke as the savior who drags him into a world of magic. This is the third version with Ken and Daisuke's roles reversed from version 2. It seemed appropriate. 

P.S. Shinwa is Japanese for myth…

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Shinwa

A young man sat in a bar at quarter past noon. This was not normal behavior for him, but he had had a rough day. New things kept popping up in his life that he was not sure he could handle with ease. Things he had come to expect from his surroundings had suddenly vanished or changed in such a way that he was at a loss to explain how they had once been. It made him uncomfortable to witness such rapid fluctuation in his world. Life was meant to be stable. Life was meant to be manageable. What he had discovered was that "life" did not always comply with his wants. 

Running elegant fingers through his dark hair he sighed and eyed his fourth bottle of Asahi beer. Draining the brown glass bottle he motioned to the bartender for another round and continued his brooding. In the light of the bar his brown hair had the slightest hint of burgundy, a natural element that accented his bronze skin. The skin itself was nearly molten, seemingly glowing with fires just beneath the surface. He was average height, though hunched on the barstool it was difficult to tell. At only twenty-four years of age, Motomiya Daisuke was starting to think that becoming an alcoholic was a good idea. Not a normal thought for the man previously known to the world as a prized soccer player. But, fame had it's downside- that much he was quite certain of.

His morning had started out fairly normal; the mundane routine he had grown so accustomed to a calming way to move through the days. He woke up, showered, dressed for work, ate a small breakfast, and tried to go to the bank. Key word being _tried_. The bank where he held his accounts required severe security measures in order to protect its monetary treasures as well as its employees. After passing through the first guarded door, Dai had proceeded to try and go up to the not so polite teller at the counter who informed him there was no account affiliated with that bank bearing the name Daisuke Motomiya as the holder. After four or five attempts he found that his account number was not going through. Puzzled, he had spoken to the rather unfriendly girl at the reception desk. Explaining that he had several accounts with the bank, and had in fact had them for several years, he found that there was no record of his savings. There was no record of his being associated with the bank in any way at all. At this he had insisted to speak to a manager to straighten the whole fiasco out. Instead security was called and he was removed from the premises with a threat of police action should he try to get into the building ever again.

Frustrated and genuinely astonished he had trudged along for a few blocks before finding a quaint little pub that seemed like the place to be after the unfortunate event. Five beers later he sat at the same stool wondering how he was going to pay for his binge, and how he could have simply been erased from the bank's records. It made no sense. Daisuke had held accounts there since before he graduated from college, from the time he had gained his fame as a soccer god. Though he had blown off the sport and decided to pursue a different dream, he was still recognized fairly often. It had been an aspiration of his to open a restaurant. After graduating with a business degree he had set about to do just that. After only a few short months he was doing so well that he was considering opening a sister restaurant on the other side of Tokyo. Clientele of all types graced the nicely decorated tables. He knew quite a few high-powered executives that earned millions of yen nearly every minute and were reputed to have infinite yakuza connections. The thought of the Japanese mob gave him cause to shudder. Had he hurt one of them in any way? No, Daisuke was as harmless as one person could be. Granted, he knew how defend himself and kept in good shape- but he never used his skills to harm another living human being. The idea was ludicrous. There was also the point that this was not trademark yakuza style. Sure, if need be they could humiliate him to no end, but tradition was that he would more than likely be found dead in his apartment from apparent self-inflicted injuries. Or he would simply physically disappear. Erasing him from computer records was supposed to come after his death…

His cinnamon eyes widened at the thought. What if he was supposed to be dead already? What if someone somewhere had screwed up along the line and forgot to eliminate him before deleting any traces of his existence? Frowning, Daisuke thought over the possibility. Not very likely. He knew powerful people with many connections, but he had never done anything to offend them. He had gone out of his way not to. It would make no sense for him to be a yakuza target for financial or personal reasons.

Sipping his now sixth beer he was so lost in thought that he had not heard the figure behind him sneaking up and remained unaware until he felt a press of cold metal at his throat.

"Give me all your money, right now, or I slit from ear to ear right here," the voice was hoarse and extremely close to his ear.

"Do you realize that what you just said rhymes?" Having been mugged a few times in the past, Dai knew well enough not to panic, it would do him no good to get frightened. Reaching up he called his attackers bluff and pushed the hand at his throat away until it was resting on the bar. Breathing in a rush of calming air he spun and lashed out with his left hand, waiting for it to meet with a solid mass. When he swiped through empty air he leaped from his stool and looked around. The moment he did it, Daisuke wished he had just stayed home that day. Behind him loomed an iridescent figure that he could never be sure was a man. The lights flickered and flashed revealing rough skin that smoldered, nearly burning where it was, and severely pointed teeth. The wicked looking knife in his assailant's hand melted back into the arm it was attached to seconds before a low growl crept from the thing's throat. Somehow a spark of pure fire blossomed in the pupils of it's eyes igniting a fear in Dai that ran so deep he was rooted to the spot he stood in. Heart hammering in his ears he watched helplessly as the thing attacking him stepped forward revealing that it was in no way similar to what Daisuke's brain recognized as a man. 

The thing was huge- standing tall at well over six feet, perhaps even seven. Not only were its eyes composed of flame but lines of fire seemed to blaze beneath it's skin. The hair on its body was black and possibly singed- Daisuke decided he did not want to look that closely. But the power in it's eyes held him still, making him wish he could escape somehow but knowing he lacked the strength to do so. The thing opened its mouth baring the pointed teeth once again and growled in its hoarse way, "Oh you've made this only too easy Motomiya."

How did this creature know his name?! This was not possible. Trying to move his arms or legs in some semblance of running he remained paralyzed, cringing when the massive jaws unhinged to show that if need be the fire-thing could most likely swallow him whole. A flicker of movement from the corner of his eye was the only warning before another man leapt into the fight. He was quick and sure of himself, yelling at the creature in a language that sounded unearthly. The stranger pulled a sword and stepped about quickly, slicing the fire-man-thing in two in seconds. When the last of the smoke faded Daisuke felt his muscles relax from paralysis. His savior was studying him in such a way that he felt a blush creeping up from his neck into his cheeks.

"Arigato," he said quietly. "Do you know what that thing was? Or, by chance, how it knew my name?"

The man stood, stepping back from his inspection of Daisuke and frowned. His face was grim as it was, a frown only worsened the darkness. Regardless of the frown marring his pale face the man was what Daisuke could only define as beautiful, and thankfully he most definitely appeared human. "You mean you don't know?" The words were harsh, scornful.

A pang of shame made Dai drop his head, cinnamon eyes roaming the cracked floor tiles. "No, that's why I asked."

Heaving a great sigh the stranger shook his head. "Shit, you're going to be one hell of a lot of trouble aren't you? Don't even know what the fuck you've gotten yourself into I'd bet." Casting a quick glance around the bar he found the patrons were mainly too drunk to be concerned with them, the bartender was a different story. Grabbing Daisuke's arm he finally gripped the startled man's chin forcing eye contact.

He felt his breath leave him as his gaze met one that was a vibrant indigo tone. No, it was velvet twilight. Or maybe it was sparkling amethyst- any way it came there was heat, from either anger or adrenaline. "Huh?" 

"Is there a back way out of this shithole, or are we going to have to make it past trigger happy Jack over there," the man motioned to the bartender with a quick snapping head movement.

Daisuke shook his own head, running a shaking hand through his spiky hair. It was not as though he had never seen people who unnerved him before, but this was ridiculous "I don't know. I've never been here before. I mean I don't even drink usually-"

"Great. Just fucking great," the stranger muttered. He felt the frown sent his way from the darker man in front of him but he merely ignored it. Running a hand through his chin length inky hair he spotted a bathroom and formulated a fast plan. "Men's room probably has a window," he muttered, more or less, to himself. "Come on."

Dai simply stumbled along beside his hero, mind too slow from alcohol consumption to be of any use at the moment. "What are you doing?" He had heard vague references to this kind of thing happening before… "Whoa, you've got the wrong idea here. Leggo," he tried to pry the strong hand off his arm. "I'm not into that kind of shit and if you want a reward you're just gonna have to take cash. I don't give head for life saving stunts."

The stranger felt his indigo eyes widen as he pushed open the door to the men's room. Turning to his captive he gave him a half disgusted, half shocked look. "What the fuck kind of people do you spend time with that you think I want you to suck my dick for what I just did?" Without waiting for an answer he turned to survey the dank space satisfied with the assessment that they could escape from the window on the far wall. 

"Well, don't you?" Flustered and confused, Daisuke let himself be pulled across the small room to the only way out.

"Don't I what? Want you to go down on me?" The man snorted. "Thanks, but I'll pass. Men aren't my thing." His words felt clinical, detached.

Starting to get angry he snapped, "Oh and I suppose if I was a woman you would have shoved me on my knees and told me to start sucking, right?"

Steeping up to the tiny window the stranger began to smash the glass, then paused a moment to look into two heated cinnamon eyes. "Look, no offense man, but you are kinda girlish- you couldn't even defend yourself back there. Plus no one has skin that glows like that without makeup. And women aren't my thing either." Taking out another pane he added, "And before you ask about animals or small children let's just make things clear," he stood up and grabbed Daisuke's arm again. "Sex on a whole isn't my thing." And he threw Dai out the window and sent him sprawling into the alleyway outside. Following his captive quite gracefully he hauled the stricken, and very irritated man to his feet keeping his eyes open to any danger lurking in the immediate area. Content with the knowledge that they had escaped without detection he pulled Daisuke along and out into the street.

"Where are you taking me?" Dai's mind was starting to clear and he was trying more than ever to break free of the hand wrapped around his upper arm. "Can you loosen up a little at least? I'd like to be able to use this arm again after today." He felt his words flare with annoyance. And why not? He had no idea who this man- his supposed savior- was, and he had made no mention of where they were headed.

"Why? You afraid you won't be able to jerk off if I don't let go?" The stranger's words cut along his skin.

Before he realized what he was doing he kicked at the man's right shin making him pause. "Stop being such a jackass will you? I'm sorry I assumed all that about you but what am I supposed to think? Can't you at least tell me your name?" 

Collecting his wits he glared into the bronzed man's face feeling part of himself crack somewhere deep inside. "My name's Ken," he offered finally.

"Daisuke," he replied and tried to shake hands but found they were on the move again. If he had not been listening for a response he would have missed it.

"Trust me, I know who you are."

***

The small shop they finally stumbled into was an entirely new experience for Daisuke who was used to glamour, fashion, and above all else, an attentive waitstaff. From the outside it looked as common as any other boutique on the block, but inside was a whole different story. Shelves upon shelves of books graced the walls and there were a few stacks here and there amidst the great room. On other counters or tables placed for viewing pleasure was an assortment of crystals, candles, and trinkets. Also readily visible were several small shrines. Some to gods he recognized some to others he had never seen before. A dancing figure with black skin and four arms, another with the head of an elephant, a pale woman with a flaming sword, a blind man with two great black birds perched on his shoulders, a half man half fish, a woman with three faces that went from young to old, the list went on… 

The personnel behind the main desk consisted of a slender female figure with light auburn hair and shining chestnut eyes. She moved easily about the shop as if very familiar with its contents. Her helpers were four other men. The first pair consisted of another redhead, only this one had fire bright hair, and a taller man with hair similar to Ken's- black with hidden navy streaks. Huddled together at an empty table they appeared to be reviewing the account records with grim determination. As Dai watched the redhead looked up and caught him staring. Avoiding the onyx eyes that seemed to hold endless depths of wisdom, Daisuke let his own eyes drop to search the floor. A sound from another corner of the room caught him. The other pair of men was fighting.

One was tall and blond, the other shorter and a brunette. The blond looked to be immaculately groomed, sapphire eyes sparking with a need to prove his point. His sparring partner had a haphazard appearance, but his earthen eyes also held a fierce need to prove himself. They yelled at one another calling each other every vulgar word Daisuke had ever heard in his life.

"For fuck's sake, Tai," the blond yelled, "could you just do things my way for once in your goddammed life?"

"Your way," the brunette shot back, "hasn't helped us worth a shit as you may have noticed. And where the fuck do you get off saying I never listen to you?!" Flailing his arms in conjunction with his words the brunette, obviously Tai, almost hit the other man.

"That wasn't what I said you fucking asshole! Don't twist my words like that!" For his own defense the blond might have looked thinner but Daisuke was willing to bet that he had won a few of their previous fights.

At this point the auburn haired girl at the main desk spoke up. "Taichi, Yamato will you stop it?! You're driving me crazy!" She never raised her voice in any threatening manner, but it seemed her words were enough to make the two back down.

"Sorry Sora," the arguing men chorused. Turning back to their project they caught sight of Ken and Daisuke standing just inside the doorway.

"Ken-kun," Taichi cried. "You're back! What are we picking up strays now?" The brunette eyed Daisuke making him shift uncomfortably. So many new people in the space of a few hours left him uneasy.

"Indeed, Ken," the blond, Yamato, cut in. "What have we here, eh? A gorgeous soccer star? How do you manage to pick these people up?" Shaking his lustrious blond locks he turned back to Tai to resume their shelving and inventory.

For his part, Ken cast a quick glare at Daisuke, which was returned, and frowned before he spoke up. "No, I'm not picking them up as you so eloquently put it. He was in trouble and I helped out."

The girl at the desk perked up at this. "Well then, that's different. Come in you two, I'll get you some tea and some food if I can find any." As she stepped through a doorway behind her into an unknown area she missed the snickers from almost all the men in the room. Daisuke remained silent.

"She'll be lucky if there's anything left back there at all," the redhead with the obsidian eyes chuckled. "Tai ate everything he could get his hands on this morning."

The tall man beside the redhead snickered. "Does that include Yamato?"

"I resent that!" Taichi gave an indignant cry. "I like to think I have some taste you know."

"Nani?!" Yamato whirled on the smaller man. "Why you little son of bitch…" He then proceeded to chase the brunette around a few of the stacks before catching him and pinning him to a row of shelves.

"Oh come on Yama, you know you love it when I tease," the tone was sultry, seductive. Dai knew what was coming even before it happened.

"You know I do," the blond murmured seconds before locking the other man in a deep kiss. Only to be interrupted when Sora resurfaced.

"Not in front of…" She cast a vague gesture to Ken who stood scowling at the couple. "You two need to pay more attention to the rules."

Instead of breaking up the kiss the two men moved blindly through the store finally managing to reach another door on a far wall and stumbled through it. Daisuke heard a few faint moans moments later. Well, he would be lying if he said this was not an interesting situation. However…

"Excuse me miss, I didn't introduce myself," he stepped forward to the auburn haired woman. "Motomiya Daisuke, pleasure to meet you." Offering a hand he was puzzled when she politely declined a handshake.

"Touch sensitive," she explained. "Don't want to be picking up any memories you don't want me to see or anything. I found some tea but it seems I'm out of food. I hope that's okay?"

"Oh, sure. I mean, yeah, of course," he felt his words trail off. Touch sensitive? What the hell did that mean? Picking up thoughts?

Behind Daisuke, Ken rolled his indigo eyes. "I found him in a bar, drinking a few beers at noon. Some nasty Jinn started to pick a fight so I stepped in." He told the tale with a bland tone as though it was an everyday occurrence for him. Dusting some invisible particles from his shoulders, Ken gave a nod to the remaining pair of men in the room and stepped into the back where Sora had previously disappeared.

Watching his savior depart Daisuke frowned. "Is he always such a ray of sunshine?"

Barely keeping in a laugh Sora moved forward in a conversational way. "He has his moods," she offered. "Though you have to admit saving you was a nice thing to do. Which, I'm sure you already know. It can be a messy experience for someone who isn't trained to fight with a Jinn."

He shook his head trying to believe he was still in reality. "Jinn?"

Ken reappeared holding a cup of tea. Frowning at Daisuke he decided to clarify. "Yeah, Jinn. You know, like genies? Bottles and wishes and the whole bit? Not so much with the being friendly to people either sometimes. Most of the time they're pretty agreeable. You must have pissed someone off somewhere along the line, Motomiya. That thing was targeting you."

At this revelation Sora spun to face Ken and the other men at the table were instantly on guard. "The Jinn was after Daisuke? Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. This complicates things," she continued to speak in low tones to herself, apparently working through some sort of mental process.

The redhead stood up from his seat and walked the few short steps it took to join the conversation. "How do you know it was after him?"

"The thing knew my name," Daisuke replied for Ken. "He had a knife too, said he was going to slit my throat. Then I turned on him thinking I could defend myself and his eyes… they caught me somehow."

The redhead nodded. "Hypnotic powers. I'm Koushiro by the way. Pleasure," he shook Daisuke's hand.

The bell on the door sounded as a young woman stepped in. Her short brown hair was pulled back by twin barrettes, cherry eyes surveying the scene. Those eyes glittered with gentle light- but was that a flash of darkness Daisuke saw? No matter, it seemed she was a familiar customer. Still, Dai felt something strange about her. Something was not quite right with her face…

As the others got up to greet her she smiled and said her hello's turning her eyes away from the watchful man. His eyebrows furrowed as he studied her closely. Grace and ease flowed off her as she worked her way through the stacks, coming closer and then passing by Daisuke altogether. The movements were natural enough, and she did seem to know everyone present. But there was just something… dark in her that the young man could not place. Her flickering eyes seemed to follow him. True, she had turned away but it still felt like she was watching him. In a quick glimpse of overhead light he figured out what was bothering him.

"Sora, could you help me with something a minute?" Keeping his tone light he made things appear to be normal. When the auburn haired woman stepped close he hissed in her ear. "Tell me that's not your friend."

"Don't be silly Daisuke-san. That's Hikari, I've known her for years-"

"She has no face," he supplied. "There's just this blank void. It took me a minute to see it, but there's nothing there at all. Something is really wrong here," he whispered. As the two continued speaking neither noticed that "Hikari" was watching them expression going cold.

"Hey, 'Kari," the redheaded man questioned, "everything okay?"

Dropping her mask she turned that terrifying void to the others in the room. "It will be," a voice sounded, "as soon as I kill Motomiya." Her nails were impossibly long the next moment, and sharp.

As the faceless thing dove for Daisuke a hand clamped onto her shoulder freezing her to the spot as a blade pushed out of her chest. When the flashing glint of steel curved upwards there was another graceful movement and the head was bouncing to the floor.

"Ken!" Sora gaped at him. He merely stood in a fighting stance cautiously peering around for any more threats. 

He shrugged. "She was going to kill him. That's the second demon in an hour to try. Think something's up now?" The tone in his voice implied that the others regarded him as a child and Daisuke could see why- Ken was on the verge of a temper tantrum. "We need to figure this shit out," the man with the sword said flatly. Sheathing his weapon he stepped up to the door Taichi and Yamato had disappeared through. "I'm going for a shower." Scowl firmly in place he slammed the door behind him.

"Would someone please tell me what is going on here?" Daisuke was more confused than he had ever been in his life. "First there's this fire-man-thing, a Jinn or whatever the hell you called it. Now there's this faceless, pointy nailed woman-thing. They both knew my name and they both wanted to kill me. What the fuck is going on?!"

"Oh that's easy," the taller dark haired man replied. "Someone's hiring high level executioners to assassinate you." He said it as though it were all so simple. "And the faceless woman was a mujina, one of the bakemono."

Earthen eyes bulged at this news. "You can't seriously expect me to believe that a goblin was after me! Those kind of creatures only exist in folk tales. My grandparents used stories about the bakemono to make sure I behaved when I spent time with them. And now you're telling me one of them came after me? That's ridiculous!"

"No more so than a Jinn trying to kill you in a bar," Koushiro pointed out. "Lucky thing Ken was there for you. It's a relief to know that pulling him out of Training School was worth it."

So many new developments had Dai's brain struggling to catch up with the world around him as it plummeted through change. "Training…?"

Sora placed a hand near, but not quite on Daisuke's shoulder. "Come on," she said quietly, "we'll go into the back, get you some food, and have some more tea and we'll explain everything to you."

Glancing at his balled up fists Daisuke was about to tell her that he had no interest in tea, but he felt his nerves telling him otherwise- calm would be good. He wanted to say it was all some kind of mistake and that they had the wrong guy, but he knew it was a lie. And despite any other grievances he had at the moment, Daisuke wanted to keep on living. He followed the others through the door behind the main desk.

***

The door lead to a townhouse that occupied the remainder of the building. Four floors of living space stretched above their heads as Sora, Daisuke, Koushiro and the fourth man who thus far had no name sat down to figure out Dai's situation.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch your name before," Daisuke held out a hand to the dark haired man.

"It's Jyou," he offered and shook the offered hand. Apparently no one else had any qualms about touching him, just Sora. "Sora's the only touch sensitive among us."

Large cinnamon eyes snapped up to look into Jyou's face. "How did you…?"

"You shook my hand and then looked directly at Sora. Given your overall lack of knowledge I assumed you were probably wondering why we could touch you when she refused. It looks like I assumed right," he gave a small grin and took a seat beside Koushiro.

The redhead beamed at the taller man. Speaking up he amended Jyou's statement. "Any contact with human skin triggers a reaction in her that pulls any memories, or emotions even, to the surface of your mind and thusly projecting them into Sora's. It's an amiable ability to have."

Jyou smiled at the smaller man. "Telekinesis isn't too bad either."

This revelation startled Daisuke. Did they all have some kind of ability? "So, Koushiro, you're telekinetic, Sora's touch sensitive, Jyou do you have any special talents?" Before the dark haired man could speak there was a brief flash in his mind and he spoke again. "You're pyrokinetic."

"How did you know?" The other three people in the room gaped at Daisuke as if he had grown a second and then a third head. Sora blinked rapidly, trying to process what this might mean. Koushiro was already formulating possibilities in his mind as to how Dai had been brought to them. Jyou was merely startled. "I didn't even open my mouth and you just knew…"

He shrugged. "There was this quick flash of an image in my mind of fire and you, so I put two and two together. It happens sometimes. I'll get this weird image in my mind and then I'll see it somewhere right after or someone will say something about it. I've written it off in the past because they mainly happened around my friends or co-workers, and I figured I know them well enough that I would be able to guess some things about them." Seeing three matching smiles around him, Daisuke wanted to shrink back in on himself. Their looks gave him chills.

"You're a clairvoyant," Sora whispered. "That would make some sense then. You probably woke up with a bad feeling about today? And then in the bar you might have gotten some creepy vibes." Lost in thought she let her sentence trail off as she tried to pinpoint what could have caused the attacks against Daisuke.

"Yeah, this morning was a little rough. I went to the bank and they had no records of me anywhere. My ID was invalid and I couldn't get access to my accounts. The receptionist had me bodily removed by security with a threat never to set foot in there again." Sighing he sat back in his chair growing more comfortable as the creepy looks faded away from the stranger's faces. "I really am very lucky that Ken was there too."

Koushiro reflected on Daisuke's words a moment before questioning him. "How did you know Ken's name?"

"He told me." That was an odd thing to ask. How else would he have known?

Sora's eyebrows shot up in response as she was pulled back into the conversation. "He told you his name?"

"Yeah, when I asked he told me. Plus you all called him by name when he and I got here. He said he knew who I was too…"

Jyou chuckled. "Well, you have been in the news before. Soccer is one of Taichi's favorite sports so he's forced us all to watch a match or two. I'm sure he roped Ken into his warped little obsession at some point. He must have seen you in one of the matches or read an interview. I still can't believe he told you his name though."

"He's not usually that open?" It was a guess, but from the way they were talking it sounded accurate.

"That's an understatement," Koushiro replied. "The fact that Ken helped you is a marvel all on its own. But he normally walks away afterward. He doesn't go out of his way to keep protecting those he rescues from danger." Standing, the redhead decided to go to the store to pick up some food. Leaving the shop would help clear his mind a little. When he departed, Jyou left the conversation as well as though it were an expected action.

Tilting his head to one side Dai could not help from asking, "Do you guys always come in pairs?"

Sora was pulled once again from her deep thinking. "What? Oh, that. Well, Taichi and Yamato have been together for years, much like Jyou and Koushiro. They also have complimentary abilities. Enough about them though." She scooted forward on her chair moving into touching range. "Why do you think someone might be after you, Daisuke-san?"

"Just Daisuke or Dai is fine," he said automatically then paused to think. He frowned. Having already questioned this he still had no answers. "I don't know," he answered quickly. "But I'm still curious about a few things. What was the training you were referring to earlier?"

"Abilities like ours are skills that need to be finely tuned, or they could spiral out of control. There's a school that all of us have gone to that helped us learn to cope with what we can do and use it when we need to. It was kinda fun to be like X-men and stuff, but it's hard not to see yourself as a freak sometimes. The others are lucky, at least they have abilities that can be turned off." There was a slight cast of bitterness in her tone. As if on cue she explained further. "They can contain the energy they use for telekinesis or pyrokinesis. Touch sensitivity is always active. The energy cannot be contained."

The idea had not occurred to Daisuke until she spoke. He felt a stab of sympathy for the woman who was so willingly offering him help. To be unable to touch another person had to be very tiring, and very lonely.

"It is lonely," came a smooth voice from behind him. He recognized it as Yamato's. "And before you ask your question can I please ask you to stop broadcasting?"

So many terms that he had no knowledge of. It was beginning to frustrate him on whole new levels. "What exactly am I broadcasting?"

"Your thoughts. You're thinking way too loud," Yamato huffed. The words were meant to be harsh, but lacked any scathing ability due to the constant sparkle in his eyes and the flush spread across his high cheekbones.

__

Well then I'll try to tone it down for you, Daisuke thought at the blond. A reaction that seemed natural to him.

"You sure learn quick," was the only sign of gratitude he received. Yamato moved to take the seat that had been vacated by Jyou and stared at the newcomer.

"So you're what? A telepath?"

The blond man nodded. "Yup, got it in one. For someone who claims to know nothing about this you're picking up on things awfully fast." Pausing a moment he added, "Taichi's an empath. He feels what other people around him feel- especially when they're broadcasting." His hard tone took a few minutes to sink in with Daisuke.

So he had been feeling confused and frustrated? So what? "Oh…" It finally dawned on him just why the blond was being so curt with him. Feeling a blush staining his cheeks he had the grace to lower his eyes to the floor. "Sorry about that. I'll try to remember not to emote or think too loud when you guys are… um, well, you know." Talking about sexual activity with complete strangers made him extremely uncomfortable.

However, his embarrassment was rewarded with a grin from the blond. "No problem. As long as we're on the same page. And since we are on the sexual train of conversation, do you mind if I ask a question?"

Daisuke had a flicker of an image in his mind. "No, I don't know what is going on. And I don't understand why you and Taichi had to be so discreet in front of Ken. Care to explain that one too?" Raising fiery cinnamon eyes, sheer frankness radiating from him, Daisuke was surprised to see how startled Yamato was at his answer.

"I didn't even ask the question yet," he gasped. Sapphire eyes flicking towards the very quiet Sora, he took a moment to pick up what he had missed. His eyes only widened further. "You're a clairvoyant? Damn…"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Without being able to stop it he could feel the frustration building in his chest again. Try as he might he could not keep it all locked up. When he felt the first twinges of his irritation creeping out he tried to follow it with soothing energy.

Heavy footsteps echoed across the room as Taichi stomped over and threw himself in his lover's lap. The expression of anger on his face began to ease as Dai tried to calm his emotions. "Wow, you're pretty good at this Motomiya. Got any skills?"

"He's a clairvoyant," Sora spoke up. "Maybe that's what attracted Ken to him. I really don't know. Usually we attract those with matching skills, but Ken is… well, he's Ken. Honestly, I'm as puzzled as you guys are on this one." It was so strange that Ken, the man they regarded as a warrior and cold blooded to the end, had revealed so much to someone he had never met previously. They had trouble getting Ken to talk to them. The amount he had explained in the front room was more than he had spoken to any of them in days.

Images bounced behind Daisuke's eyelids while the redheaded woman mulled over the situation. "He's really that closed off from all of you?"

Three sets of eyes twinkled with weariness and guarded affection. "You have no idea," Yamato said quietly. "Or maybe you do." Tilting his head the blond tried to reach out into the fresh mind- only to feel a wall slam everything shut. A touch of cold steel against his power and he retreated. "Won't let me pry, eh? Want to get in his pants already I take it?"

Dai felt a furious blush spread across his entire face betraying the lie he had wanted to pull off. 

Taichi laughed a little. "You see, Ken's something of a eunuch or maybe he's just asexual all together. We're really not sure. All we can tell is that he's strong as shit and has no qualms about fighting anything or anyone that pisses him off." Taking on a conversational tone he tried to reach out in the same way his love had, also greeted with a harsh touch of steel. "You're almost as good as he is at shutting us out. But I bet if Sora were to grab your hand, those walls of yours might crack. As you may have noticed, Ken-kun isn't exactly the touchy feely type. Sora got a hold of him once and apparently that was enough for him." While he spoke the brunette kept trying to pry into Daisuke's emotions. The attack was subtle, as he looked for any possible breaches in the tight barrier the pale man had set around himself. Finding no signs of entry, Taichi gave up for the moment. It was very impressive given how little experience Dai obviously had with such matters.

"I don't know about the touchy feely part of things, he didn't seem to have any difficulty grabbing me and dragging me along for the ride. But, do yourselves a favor and stop trying to get in," the newcomer's voice was as cold as his barricade. "If I want to share then I will, but until then stay the fuck out." He knew it was bad manners to say as much but some things had to be kept sacred. Daisuke valued his privacy, since the media had deemed him one of the most eligible bachelors in Tokyo and force-fed him fame whenever possible. It had been a disaster when the media dragged him 'out of the closet' before he had a chance to tell his family. "I don't like people prying into my life. If you have questions about my background try reading Vogue or something."

"Touchy, touchy," Yamato smirked. "I think Tai-koi here struck a nerve mentioning the questionable nature of Ken's sexuality." He kept smiling and trying to pry despite the harsh warning he had received. Everyone had leaks in their security- even Ken. However, the telepath was having a difficult time pulling anything from the dark haired man seated across from him. The only thing he had to marvel at was the absolutely solid construction of his barriers.

"I told you to stop," Daisuke warned. "Don't make me tell you again. I really don't like people snooping into my private life. And as for Ken, don't think I didn't notice how you two ogle him. He's fucking gorgeous, of course I was looking, and of course I'm attracted to him. There are a lot of questions I have about the eunuch thing you referred to but for now I'm curious about the training." Taking a deep breath he frowned when he felt penetrating psychic fingers prod at his shields. Closing his eyes, Daisuke pictured a perfect wall around himself, surrounded with electricity. Lashing out with the charge he was rewarded with a gasp from the blond and brunette.

"Shit! You fucking zapped me!" Taichi gaped in complete stupefication. "You put up high level security and threw us both out."

"How the fuck did you do that?" Sapphire eyes bulging out of Yamato's head, he too stared in utter fascination. A plan formed quickly in his mind and he spoke it as he thought not wanting to give Dai a chance to prepare himself. "Grab him Sora. I want to see what he's made of."

Daisuke had a moment to be shocked before he felt a warm hand close around his wrist. Instinctively he threw up his shields. Only this time he made them stronger- filling his mind with thoughts of brick walls and steel vaults surrounded by layers of static charge. It cost him little effort to do this, as this was the one thing he had experience with when it came to the psychic realm. His natural instinct was to protect his privacy no matter what the cost. The barriers were part of him, making them that much harder to break through. The hand on his wrist pulled away after a few moments. He stood up, ready to leave. "Stop playing games. I need your help, but I'm not going to put my soul on the line for it. If that's the price then I'll seek help elsewhere." 

"No, don't," Sora protested. "I will answer any questions you have but you're going to have to trade with us in return." Something flashed behind her chestnut eyes giving him reason to pause before he walked out.

"Trade? How?"

"Teach the others and myself how to do what you just did. I couldn't get anything off you. This is the first time in as long as I can remember that someone was able to block me. You don't know how much it would mean to me if you would teach us. I would be able to touch people again." Her eyes were shining with unshed tears. Hope beaming from every pore, Sora gave him a weak smile. "Please, Daisuke… Dai."

Nodding, more or less to himself, he agreed and sat down again. "So, tell me about the training."

"And about Ken," Yamato added, grinning. At the glare he received he began to laugh. "You don't need psychic abilities to see that one, Motomiya."

"Yama, I think you and Tai have work you need to finish," Sora cut in. Daisuke had shut them out but the blond was right- when Dai felt strongly about something they did not need any special powers to know it. And at that moment Daisuke was very pissed off. As the two men departed she turned to the enigma at hand. "Which do you want to know about first?"

Luckily, he was able to stop himself before he requested information about his savior. True enough, the dark haired, pale warrior was a beautiful package, and Daisuke wanted to know what was inside but there were other matters to be concerned with first. "How many of you are there?"

"Taichi and Yamato both have younger siblings with powers. Takeru, Yama's brother, is one of the best clarivoyants I've ever met. Well, he was anyway, until you showed up. Part of what made TK so unique was his ability to influence people- not in a criminal way of course. The boy couldn't hurt a fly. Hikari, that's Taichi's sister, is a full on psychic. You name it, she can do it. All except for touch sensitivity. Lucky me, I'm the only one of those around." Bitterness coated her words making them ugly. Deep inside Daisuke could feel that she was proud of her gift, but at the same time she had not fully embraced it. 

"So that's it then? That's a pretty small group. From the way all of you were talking I thought there might be an army of you." The joking tone suffered a quick death when Dai realized he was the only one laughing.

"There are a lot of us. But, our small group grew up together. We're so familiar with each other's activity that we formed a bonded unit. We're almost complete. As you remarked we tend to come in sets of two. There are also two of us who have no psychic skill per se, but are remarkable magicians. Of course," she smiled, "they would kill me if they caught me using that term. Miyako and Iori are our resident pagans. What they do isn't quite Wicca and it isn't really anything else either. They can both draw from any kind of magic, which can be very helpful. Particularly in a case like yours."

"Where's your other half? Don't you have one?" The loneliness was back in Sora's eyes again. Chestnut wept into bleeding chocolate.

"Mimi. She left. It happened a long time ago," the reply was soft, wounded. "She had some things to sort out, and I know she'll be back one day. In the meantime it's hard going through this without her." In a gesture of nervousness she ran a hand through her auburn hair. Trying to clear her mind of thoughts of her absent girlfriend Sora picked up where she had left off. "Ken was the only one of us without a partner. Which is why I think something in you must have called out to him."

"First he saved my life, then he was open with me," Daisuke concluded. This was getting stranger by the minute. Though he was gay, and certainly had no problems with the idea of dating Ken, what they were discussing sounded more like a union for life. "Don't get me wrong, he's hot and gorgeous and all, but I think you're reading way too far into this."

There was a secretive smile on the sensitive's face. "You haven't really seen him yet," she replied. "Wait until you do before you make that kind of judgement. He's skilled at glamour- hiding his true appearance. Unless you saw him with his shields down you haven't seen the whole package."

"Have you, um, ever seen it?" He had missed something, eh? Well, then maybe he would have to rethink his decision. However, a lifetime with the dark haired man was still something he was wary of- no matter how pretty he turned out to be.

"Once, and that was only a flicker. Of all of us I've gotten the closest. Yamato mentioned how I touched Ken once. I picked up on a few things before he wriggled free. There's a lot of pain there, Dai. A lot of it. You're going to have to be strong to handle Ken. There's much more to him than meets the eye." 

The cautionary words hit something deep in the tense man. His cocoa eyes widened a touch. "Perhaps you should fill me in on a few things about his past?" If Sora had trouble reading Ken, Daisuke knew he would find it damn near impossible.

"He was raised by demons. Made to be the ultimate weapon for the gang that harbored him, his powers flourished under their care." A frown marred her face. "If you could really call it care. Taichi did sum things up best saying he's strong and will fight anything. Ken was made to fight anything. And he was stripped of his sexuality also. Not physically, but enough so that I wonder if he's a eunuch by choice or not. Somewhere in him there's a very lonely young man but he would never admit to that. The only reason he isn't in Training School with the others is because he's been raised practically from birth to use his abilities. Even now we don't know what he's fully capable of. It's good to know he's on our side though."

"You say that like you have to fight with demons and things often." What in the world had he gotten himself into?

There was a derisive snort, "Often enough, Daisuke. Often enough."

***

Upstairs, Ken was toweling dry from his shower. He had no doubt in his mind that the others were talking about him with… Daisuke. Swallowing the thickness gathering in his throat he had to shake his head. The young man strode to his sparsely furnished room. The only adornments on the walls were tasteful displays of weaponry. And Ken had a very complete collection. Walking past the small mirror that stood on his bureau he frowned. The reflection bouncing back into his eyes was the true one. An image he had been taught to hate. Face twisted with disgust, Ken smoothed out the opalescent sheen that graced his skin. Subduing the natural aura of power that emanated from him, he let the regular façade settle in. Though he still despised looking at his reflection in any form he could not help a small smile. The others would probably freak out if they knew just how good he was. How many skills he was hiding.

Pulling the towel that hung on his hips loose he rummaged through his clothing. Plain browns and touches of gray or black made dressing easy. With the mundane task of dressing coming on instinct his mind was free to wander. He felt his thoughts stretch into the house. Somewhere in his mind, Ken noticed that he could feel Daisuke, pulling him with magnetic attraction. It pained him to admit that he felt something stir in him whenever he looked at the tanned, flame haired man. But, he was just so… Those spicy eyes- that brimmed with cinnamon fire when he felt threatened, the subtle glow of bronze that painted every inch of his skin. Despite his human body, Daisuke had something in him that called to Ken, made his breath halt and his heart slam. He had read plenty of books about this, but he had never experienced it before. Unfamiliar feelings brewed in Ken's chest as he thought about the man sitting downstairs, talking with Sora. He could feel him no matter where he went. 

Being raised by demons had left Ken with a considerable blood lust. However, the desire had been conveniently squelched when he happened to meet the gentle auburn haired shopkeeper and her bubbly girlfriend. From the beginning of his memories he had been taught to loathe the human body and to use it only as a tool or as cannon fodder. Slowly, but surely, his newfound friends were breaking him of his habits, teaching him that his human appearance was something to be proud of. Well, that and the fact that he harbored a serious case of rage and hatred when it came to demons preferring to kill them as opposed to humans. Having suffered two decades of straight torture made it difficult for him to find peace with those creatures that claimed any line of demonic blood. Ken wanted every last one of them to pay. Especially now that he had met someone who seemed to be igniting emotions in the heart he never knew he possessed. The heart he thought he had carved out years ago after so many beatings driving the point home that he was to be a soulless thing- he was not human, he never would be. This newfound sense gave him enough of a scare to wonder if he was capable of loving someone.

Against all odds, Daisuke had won over part of Ken. The effect was subtle, but the warrior noted the feeling with bitter resignation. Dammit, he was good at what he did. He did not need some random person to enter his life and completely turn things upside down- making him question everything he had been trained to do. It was a compromising situation. Torn between an unexplainable desire for Daisuke and the need to discover who he was left his head reeling. And Ken had a feeling that it was only the beginning.

***

Downstairs Daisuke sighed and did his best to not think about the enigmatic, muscular, freaking gorgeous… dammit. His efforts were seriously failing. It was eerie. Wherever he was in the house, Dai could feel him. Whatever magnetic force existed between them called to him, telling him that he was not complete sitting in the chair next to the bookcase in Sora's study. If there were someone else in the chair with him he would feel so much better. Shaking his head he tried to clear the unwanted thoughts away. Where was this coming from? He had only met Ken hours ago. Sure, he had experienced strong bouts of lust when viewing members if the male population before but never like this. It was unsettling.

Shifting in his seat, lost in questions and thoughts, Daisuke did not hear the group of people approaching him, and remained unaware until he heard a feminine voice yell, "Get him!"

Panicking instantly, Dai was on his feet facing off to four attackers- two men, two women. One of the women looked oddly familiar though he knew he had never met these people before. Without thinking about it he fell into a fighting stance and threw up his psychic barriers. Walls of sheer mental steel and electricity surrounded his psyche as he mentally assessed his attack. Deciding in a split second he aimed a high kick at his closest opponent- a blond man, who upon closer inspection looked like Yamato in a vague way. This realization, however, failed to click in Daisuke's brain. 

The blond ducked and frowned. Turning his head to one side he said to the familiar woman, "I can't get anything off him." Of course, turning had been his mistake. No sooner had the blond finished his sentence than Dai's right foot connected with his chin just hard enough to send him sprawling with little hope of getting up before Dai fled the room.

"You don't have to do this," the familiar woman spoke, voice tranquil enough to drag the frightened man's attention to her. "We don't want to hurt you, but you are trespassing." Behind her, Daisuke caught a quick flash of a dagger and heard the other woman in the group mumble her way through an archaic form of Chinese. Rushing backwards a few steps he grabbed the other man, a short brunette. Blond and brunette- where had he seen that combination before?

"Stop it," he hissed. "No magic, no psychic tricks, just let me pass and I'll return your friend to you unharmed." How he hated making threats, specifically ones he knew he would never follow through on. Swallowing back his conscience. "Put your little dagger away, sweetie," he called to the other woman. In response she shook a head full of maroon hair. "Look," he continued, "I've had a shit day and I really don't need any more assassins coming after me right now. I'm scared, I'm fucking exhausted, and I'm confused- all of which make me incredibly pissed off, so don't fuck with me." Deciding to use an old trick he had exploited when he was a child, Daisuke pitched his voice in a cold tone and thought of how _icy_ it must sound. When he felt a chill wind pass through the room he gave an equally frigid smile making the temperature plummet further.

"Who the hell are you?" The short brunette sputtered out his question as he struggled to break free of the death grip on his neck. "One of you do something!" His words cut off at his captor's slight jerking motion.

"Shut up." Daisuke eyed the room and his remaining opponents. This was going to be easy. And as he thought through it, he could escape and no one would get hurt. While he chose his escape route the blond on the floor tried to sit up, then stand. Dai chuckled when he swayed on his feet and staggered back down. "I didn't kick you that hard…" Words falling away he cursed silently as a flurry of images hit him. Lost in the power of his vision he never heard Ken enter the room.

"Daisuke! What the fuck are you doing?! Let Iori go!" Rushing forward the warrior pulled the brunette free and caught the other man whose eyes had rolled back, lost to the world.

The two women gaped at Ken. "How do you know him?" "What has come over you?!" Joined by the blond on the floor they chorused together, "Ken, why are you helping him?"

Indigo eyes gave them each a shocking glare. "Get out," was his only reply. When they failed to comply he yelled watching with a satisfied smirk as they pulled the blond to his feet and bolted from the room. Turning his attention back to the man in his arms he frowned. "Fucking psychic attacks," he muttered. He gently sat Daisuke in a chair. Checking his vital signs he found the man to be stable, he would be back in reality momentarily. "You'll be okay," he whispered. Tentatively he reached out a hand to smooth out the dark hair. The deep wine color touched with glints of copper was hypnotic and velvety and Ken wanted to run his hands through it, lose himself. As the fiery eyes began to blink, the other man's vision steadying, he pulled back, mentally smacking himself. No, things were not supposed to go this way! He had no need for a human companion. None… 

"What the fuck hit me?" Daisuke touched one throbbing temple. A migraine of epic proportions was closing in on him fast. Before speaking again he instinctively checked his shields making sure he was safe. Still not looking at the person sitting so close to him he groaned as pain consumed his mind leaving room for little else. "What _was_ that?"

"Psychic attack. They hit you all together with thoughts, memories, abilities, and whatever else they could grasp," Ken responded mechanically. Under his intense scrutiny he saw the dim recognition as Dai realized who he was. Cold indigo eyes roamed the planes of the downcast face he noticed the flush on the tanned cheeks.

"That's twice now, Ken," Daisuke's voice was soft. "Looks like I owe you." Looking up he lost all forms of coherent thought when he noticed how close they actually were. Ken's sculpted face was only centimeters from his own, close enough to feel breath against his skin. Trying not to swoon, Dai leaned forward slightly as if to kiss the other man. Stopping when their noses touched he whispered, "Thank you." Giving a small smile he stayed as he was waiting for a reaction- surely Ken would push him away or hit him. Much to his surprise the other man remained in place.

Ken shook his head slowly. "It's what I do," he responded and stood. Pointing at Daisuke, his face betrayed nothing- blank to any and all emotion. "I have to go talk to the others and tell them who you are so they won't try to kill you again. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." He turned and stalked out of the room. Picking through the house he easily located the group of four Dai had encountered.

Miyako, Hikari, Iori, and Takeru sat in the kitchen pouting. When the warrior entered the mood darkened. "What the hell were you doing?" Folding his arms across his chest, Ken fingered the handle of one of his knives, a nervous habit.

"I think the better question, Ken-chan, is what the hell were _you_ doing?" The maroon haired woman met his gaze with inborn defiance. "He's a foreign face sitting in the backroom, power floats around him like mist, and you knew his name." Her amber eyes narrowed behind her glasses. "What is going on?"

Nervous habits aside, Ken drew his knife and crossed the space between them in seconds bending at the waist to press the blade to the woman's throat. The others watched with dim horror. They knew he was fast, but no one mentioned just how fast. "First," the dark haired man hissed, "don't you _ever_ call me 'Ken-chan' again. You have no right to. Second, don't you ever fucking question me again."

"Or what?" Her whisper was pure venom. "You'll slit my throat?"

Barely shaking his head, he let his eyes fill with a natural spike of power that hid just below the surface. "No, Miyako. I'll skin you a little at a time and feed it to Hikari right before I-"

"Okay! That's enough! Ken, stop it," Hikari broke in. "Stop being such a prick and explain what's going on. Don't threaten my friends." Glancing at Miyako she noted the woman had turned an interesting shade of green. Fright filled the amber eyes. She knew he had probably finished his sentence, letting it whisper through Miyako's mind. Of all the others, Hikari was the only one who had made the closest guesses as to what the pale man standing before them was capable of. "Who was that guy?"

Playing with his knife, as though bored with the conversation, he replied in a singsong voice, "His name's Daisuke. Assassins are after him. I saved him from a jinn and a mujina today. Who knows how many others are waiting to beat the shit out of him? He's hiding out here while Sora and the others figure out what to do with him."

"And until then you're acting as his bodyguard?" The blond raised an eyebrow at this. Takeru had never seen the cold-hearted warrior so vehement about someone's welfare. "Seems to me like you're having a great time protecting that… body." The suggestive leer in his words hung in the air. A well-thrown knife embedded itself in the wall next to Takeru's right ear. Gulping his sarcasm away he tried to regain his cool. "Sorry…"

"Just leave him alone. Don't talk to him, don't fight him, don't even look at him. He's only here to hide and the less we all know about him the better off we'll be." As he spun on his heel he heard another voice call him back.

"Did you see what he did, Ken?" Iori was curious to see how much their guardian knew. "He made it go cold in there by speaking with ice in his voice. Simply by speaking! I've only seen high levels do that before- and very few at that." He noted the blank look on the marble face.

"He did that, eh? Looks like Sora got more than she bargained for." Leaving their company he went back to the study finding Daisuke had curled into a tight ball. The muscular man sat with his arms wrapped around his head, face pressed into his knees, eyes shut so tightly it looked painful. Feeling the coolness of the air, Ken drew his sword, his eyes flashing, searching for the threat. "Daisuke?"

"Ken? Is that you? Ken? Make them go away! Please make them stop!" An edge of hysteria sharpened the words.

"Them?" This was getting weirder by the minute. 

"Can't you see them? Flying around the room, yelling at me, trying to claw at me, screaming, crying… Oh god, just make them stop! It hurts, Ken. Make them stop!" He began to rock back and forth where he sat tears leaking out of his eyes. If Ken could have seen what Daisuke was seeing, he would know there were hundreds of spirits in the room- all of them focused on Dai. They yelled and cried, screaming at him how weak he was, how pathetic, he was dependant on people he did not even know for help… He started to pull at his hair, wishing he could rip it out by the roots, bleed all over the floor.

When he tried to touch Daisuke something hit Ken- hard enough to make him sway. Sword forgotten on the floor he tried calling power to himself. The room remained dead to him. Sparing a glance at the man in the chair he called out to him. "Daisuke, I have to get one of the others. I can't help you. Stay here."

"Like I'm going anywhere!" Even through his torment he was still able to joke. That was both good and bad. It meant the torture had only started. 

Running full speed from the room, past the four confused faces in the kitchen, up the stairs… He found Sora reading in one of the rooms. "Help! You've got to help Daisuke," he was unaware of the genuine plea in his voice. Without waiting for her to get over her gaping he grabbed her hand and took off back down the stairs again. Reaching the room once more the duo found the doors had been slammed shut. Distant cries came from inside.

"Somebody! Help me! They won't stop!" Madness breached the inner sanctum of Dai's melodic voice, tipping the sound off scale. The words cracked with desperation.

In a desperate attempt, the pale warrior tried the doors. Locked. Shaking and rattling the wood seemed ineffective. Lips set in a tight line he stared up at the doors trying to will them open. Without calling his natural power there was no chance of him getting inside. But, Daisuke…

Pressing his forehead against the cool wood, one palm beside his face flush against the door Ken whispered, "I'll get you out, Daisuke. I promise." Knowing he did not want to finish the sentence aloud with the others present he sent a whisper of thought beyond the doors hoping that it would reach the ears it was meant for. As he pulled back he looked at Sora, who had now been joined by the illustrious four from the kitchen. Miyako was spearing him with dark looks.

"What do you think it is, Ken?" Sora's voice was calm, a sign she was debating reaching into the room with tapering psychic fingers.

"Don't, Sora," Takeru said. "If we don't know what's inside I don't think you really want to touch it. But we need to find out what it is so we can fight it at least."

"Ken said we're protecting Daisuke, so we need to work quick before we lose him," Hikari spoke quietly, as if giving voice to thoughts she believed had remained in her head. "Ken," she said hesitantly, "can you break down the doors?"

He nodded, slowly. "I can. It's not a good idea, but I can do it." Oh this was not going well at all. Only hours after he had sworn he would keep Daisuke safe, he was about to lose him to some strange, invisible attackers. Wait a minute…

Taking off for the store in the outer rooms, Ken let his eyes scan the bookshelves. There had to be something there that would help him! "Too many books," he murmured. Deciding on a few that had the most appealing cover art, he ran back to the others. Surprised looks greeted him all around. "What?"

"How many cases did you check?" Sora swallowed, trying to keep the shock she felt from thickening in her throat.

"I don't know. Thirty, maybe forty at the most. Why?"

Iori managed to regain his calm first. "You were gone for less than a minute and you're saying you covered half the store? Once we help Daisuke you may want to explain to us where this newfound speed of yours is coming from."

Ken scowled. No, there would be no discussions. He would simply have to monitor his actions better. In the past he had been able to accomplish things quickly without any misgivings. It seemed as though Daisuke was affecting everyone. "Whatever," he muttered. Clearing his throat he turned to Sora once more. "I think it's only illusion. The whole thing- from the shit Daisuke's seeing to the doors being closed. If Miyako or Iori do a spell we should be able to break it."

"A spell could take hours or even days to complete. Daisuke could go insane in the meantime. Listen to him in there," Miyako gestured to the barricaded room. Sobs and whimpers issued forth. It was all Ken could do to keep from blowing away the facade, but that would most likely kill the others…

"Daisuke," he whispered. He was right in saying the doors were illusion. After taking a step back he had been able to see it. However, he was still unable to walk through the entrance and fend off whatever spirits were attacking Dai. It was making Ken more than a little frustrated. A gasp behind him made him turn.

Takeru stood with his mouth open, aqua eyes blinking in rapid fire. "His shields," he struggled to speak. "His shields are down, and he's broadcasting."

"It's a common thing that happens under psychic attack, TK," Hikari said slowly. "You know that."

"But the four of us couldn't break him before. And I wasn't even trying to reach him."

"You mean you-" The brunette's words were cut off as her eyes rolled painfully in her head. "Damn, he's loud," she hissed. "Miya, can't you do a spell to close him off or something?"

"I can try," the pagan replied. In truth the best she could do was try. Unsure of what they were confronting left her with the choice of only a basic protection spell that worked to fend off all generic types of energy. Emotional energy was as generic as it got. She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Turning, Miyako's gaze met with two flickering amethyst eyes.

"I can do it," the warrior said quietly. "I can block him, but that means one of you will have to go in there, unless…"

"Unless what, Ken? What more is there to this?" Miyako pulled away from the firm grip, amber eyes widening.

"If you all left I know I could get him out myself." It had taken him a while to pick up on it, but now that he had noticed, Ken knew there was only one choice left. This magic was familiar to him, something he had been born with.

"No," Sora shot back firmly. "We told you we would help protect him, and we'll all follow through on that. You can't always be the number one hero, Ken."

Sighing, he closed his eyes reaching beyond the illusion to comfort Daisuke. Come hell or high water, one of them would be in there soon. "I'm not trying to pull some sort of Lone Wolf act. It's just… I know I'm the only one who can do this." Opening his eyes again he had to blink against the lingering trace of pain left from the images of Daisuke being tortured. "None of you have dealt with this kind of thing before. You wouldn't understand what you're up against"

Hikari, having managed to push Dai's blaring emotions to a corner of her brain, assessed the situation. "Part of your past?" When he nodded she bit her lip. It was a gamble to leave him on his own, no matter how many abilities he could have. Whether he knew this power or not made little difference, they had promised to help. But the shine in the normally cold eyes was enough to make her rethink. "Are you sure we can't help you?"

"You stand a greater chance of getting hurt if you stay here. When this is done, I'll take Daisuke and he and I will go hide somewhere. Once I've tracked down who's after him I'll contact you and we can proceed from there," words dropping away, he felt something tugging in his chest as a particularly loud shriek came from the room beyond.

"Wait, you're leaving?!" Miyako, having no psychic connection, was outraged. "What do you mean you'll contact us and we can't handle this? It's what we're training for!"

"You've never been trained for this, believe me." His words were soft; an undercurrent of pain was seeping into his voice. The magic was wearing away his barriers as well. "Look, we're losing time and I can't stay here much longer if you all decide you have to be here. Just go, let me handle this and I'll contact you soon." Facing the others, Ken knew his words were sinking in from the looks on their faces. "Please." Nothing hurt more than begging, especially since he had sworn to himself after breaking free of the demons holding him that he would never beg for anything again. Ever.

Sora nodded quickly and ushered the rest of the group out. Looking back for a brief moment she wished him good luck. "I hope you know what you're doing, Ken-kun. Remember that you're always welcome here, and Dai is too. Don't be gone for too long." As he waved and nodded she had a moment to gasp when his eyes began to bleed from flat indigo to burning violet. She knew that face. She might have only glimpsed it before, but she knew what he was going to do.

Turning away from Sora's retreating figure Ken could feel his barriers dropping. She had seen it again. Despite the years of practice he had at hiding, she had seen him. Things were not looking up. As his barriers fell, the glow of his eyes multiplied, coupled by the luminous opal shine of his skin. The hair that was normally a deep black or even navy leaked away to a rich, starry twilight color that no bottle of dye could duplicate. As the features he normally dulled lost their lackluster appearance, Ken could feel his face changing slightly. Small shifts of his eyes as they grew larger, as his cheekbones rose higher, and his lips blossomed with a fullness most had never seen. Standing before the transparent blockade, he was a resplendent, shining… thing. Shoulders hunched he tried so hard not to weep he thought perhaps the world was going to explode around him.

"You can come out now," he whispered.

***

****

to be continued

I know, I know- so cruel to leave it hanging. but part 2 is coming soon, I promise. got writer's block for a while, but it seems to have disappeared for the time being… hopefully the next part will be up soon… hopefully. feel free to review.


	2. 2

Picking up where we left off…

When we last saw our heroes, Daisuke was a famous soccer player turned restaurant owner who was being suddenly attacked by creepy demons, goblins and many more creatures to come. Ken, a cold vicious warrior, saved Dai from being eaten alive (literally) in a bar. Our favorite pale faced man then dragged Daisuke to a shop run by none other than Sora- with Jyou, Koushiro, Taichi, and Yamato in tow. Dai discovered they all seemed to have crazy magical abilities varying from touch sensitivity to pyrokenises. While learning some things from Sora, Daisuke also discovered Ken was raised by demons, and is pretty cranky about the whole ordeal. Takeru, Iori, Miyako, and Hikari tried to kill Daisuke causing him to unleash some violence. While it turns out the soccer star was harboring some talents of his own; he was attacked once again while in the shop. Ken being Ken decided to save him. Is it because he may be developing feelings for him? Probably! We left off with Ken sending the others away to face this strange, and oddly familiar, power on his own…

**__**

Shinwa- chapter 2

"You can come out now." Ken knew this power. It had been years since he felt it so strongly. But he knew it all too well.

The doors melted away from their illusory post blocking the center of Daisuke's torment and allowing Ken to step inside. Around him, the room itself seemed to snicker. Thoughts of a childhood lost ran through the warrior's mind. Still curled on the chair before him, Daisuke seemed to be calming down. Little by little his shoulders relaxed, the tightness around his eyes softened, but before he came back to reality completely he sighed and slumped forward- down for the count.

Instantly wary, Ken drew in a shaky breath as he heard another whispering snicker around him. Behind him the doors slammed shut. He glanced at the real barrier and then turned around again, ready to run to Daisuke's side. Before he took a step, the air thickened and pulsated, undulating in a familiar form. As the waves grew they took on color and definition finally forming a man. A very arrogant, handsome man.

His hair was similar to Daisuke's in style and his skin held a touch of bronze, but the resemblance ended there. The brown spikes were kissed with streaks of sunlight that glittered as if made of gold. Creamy caramel hugged the contours of his body, skin so delectably soft it could not be real. Honey kissed eyes with streaks of russet gleamed with pure smugness. The clothes were modern enough, but the unmistakable sparkle in his skin gave him away. A child of the Earth to be sure. Weapons so different from Ken's own hung at his belt accompanied by a well-oiled shoulder holster and nine millimeter Glock. 

Lips pulled into a tight line, Ken gave the other shining one a small nod. "Ryo."

A bitter smile broke through all the arrogance on the comely face. "Aw, I'm touched. It's been so long, and yet you still remember me." Stepping forward he tapped Ken's nose and traced his jawbone with one tapering finger. "What are you carrying these days, hmmm? Will you let me take a look?"

As Ryo reached for Ken's waist a firm grip on his wrist stopped him. "Don't." Fury was biting at him and it took so much control to maintain a monosyllabic dialogue.

A perfect pout formed on the other man's face- a mere wrinkle in the smooth surface of caramel. "But I just wanted to check out your… weaponry."

Casually throwing the man's arm aside, Ken rolled his vibrant eyes and stepped around him to check on Daisuke. "What do you want Ryo? You know what weapons I carry so stop the bullshit games. You know damn well that I prefer swords to your guns." The last was said with obvious distaste.

"Flatterer," Ryo's sickly sweet eyes flashed. Games of sexual intrigue were so fun to play with Ken. However, at the harsh glare he received the child of Earth rolled his eyes and put his game face back on. "You're such a spoilsport." Pulling the gun on the pale warrior, he saw him stiffen. "Relax, I'm not here to shoot _you_. But there is an awfully high bounty of Sleeping Beauty over there. I figured I'd take him off your hands for a while. Bring him back where he belongs."

Ken shook his head. "You know I can't let you do that. I won't. He stays with me whether you like it or not." Rising from his place by Daisuke's side he drew his sword. Blade gleaming through the blunted edges of so much use. Freshly cleaned, it flashed through the air.

Ryo only shook his head. "Pity, pity, pity… Poor Ken. Spent too much time among humans and doesn't even have his own weapons anymore. You know that thing doesn't stand a chance against me." His grin was feral, cunning.

With a defiant smile, the pale one threw his weapon aside. "Perhaps," he replied. "But I know something that does. Something that can best you any day of the week." At the surprised look he received, Ken could only smirk. Reaching out to a sheath of pure air he drew again, as if pulling from nothing at all- this time the blade was dazzling, unreal. No sword, no matter how well kept, if it is used frequently keeps a shine. But this was not just any sword. "Simply because I don't throw my power around you think I'm weak. Your mistake then. Of all of us you know what I'm capable of," he stepped closer to his opponent, casually rotating his wrist sending the gleaming length of metal flashing through the air again. "You know I'll gut you like the disgusting little fuck that you are, Ryo. So why are you here?"

"Such coarse language," the other chided. "I told you what I want. Give up the boy so I can take him back where he belongs."

Pressing the strip of silver to the caramel skin of Ryo's throat, Ken let some of the darkness he kept fill his eyes. "And where is that?"

"Not here." And Ryo laughed, swiping a rough kick across Ken's legs. As the pale warrior stumbled to the floor, the child of Earth reached for his belt. "You children of Air," he mocked. "Always so violent. Why couldn't you be more like your brother?" Pulling a pouch from his belt loose he reached in gathering a handful of dust. "Ready to give him up yet? I know what this house is to you. I know who lives here. Are they prepared for what I have to unleash?" Tilting his hand ever so slightly, the child of Earth let a few particles hit the floor. In an instant a gaping hole replaced the wood, quickly filling with creatures that thrived in the thickest mud of the earth. A writhing mass of insects and magical things alike squirmed towards the door.

Knowing full well what it would mean if the pile escaped, Ken stood. In a moment of decision he weighed the consequences of what he could do. After this he was leaving. The others never had to know. But he could not keep shielding them forever. Eternity was a long time to hide. Raising one hand he clenched it into a fist squelching the air around the slithering batch conjured up by someone he had once dared to call a friend. With the lack air some of the creatures simply died, others exploded leaving a slimy trail. "Don't push me, Ryo. I'm not known for my patience."

"Indeed. I've heard that about you," there was laughter in the words. "That you were forceful, and _quick_." He snickered again as the air thickened with pure rage. "Oh, you'd better control yourself my boy. Don't want our precious Daisuke to get hurt do we?" When he motioned to the chair where the captive had been sitting he found it empty. Without a chance to register what had happened, Ryo found himself being hit on both sides- one by air, the other by fire. Things were not going as planned.

As common knowledge suggests, fire if fueled by great amounts of hydrogen and oxygen will flourish. And indeed, Ken being a Child of Air was able to feed the flames exactly what they needed. But where had they come from? And where was Daisuke? Without a moment left to find his answers, Ken felt a staggering pain in his abdomen. Looking down he saw a hole in his skin, blood pouring out, quickly soaking into the dark material of his clothing. Raising his eyes once more he saw Ryo facing off to him, gun leveled, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Well, well, looks like you aren't invulnerable after all. Didn't those demons teach you anything?" The arrogant child of Earth shook his head. "A pity, really. I can't imagine that being shot feels good in any way."

A voice sounded from somewhere behind Ken's assailant. "Well why don't you take some time to find out." Daisuke stood brandishing his own weapon and pulled the trigger. He watched as Ryo stumbled a bit, then fell to the floor.

Once the pale warrior came to his senses, he stood and motioned to Daisuke. "Come on. He won't be out for long. If we leave he'll probably follow us and leave the others alone, but we should get a head start while we can." When the other man nodded in agreement they departed, running for the nearest door.

After the duo had safely made it out of the shop, Ryo groaned from the floor. Cursing to any deity he could think of he coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. Damn, that little human was a good shot- nicked a lung. Somehow getting to his feet he wiped his chin and stared out through the doorway. "Looks like we'll be doing this the hard way…"

***

Ken and Daisuke had jogged for a few blocks before the pale man felt the pain in his stomach lurching and growing worse. Motioning for his companion to stop he struggled to breathe. "We need to get to a motel or something so I can take a look at this."

Daisuke nodded. "Fine. But isn't there something you want to explain to me first?"

Blinking his still luminous eyes, Ken pulled his glamour back into place to ensure that other people passing by would see nothing out of the ordinary. "Like what exactly?"

"Like what the fuck is going on?" Unfazed by Ken's display of magic, Dai stood expecting an answer. "What are you? What the hell is he? Shit- who the hell is he?"

Straightening up Ken winced hoping his traveling partner took no notice. "His name's Ryo. He and I met a long time ago. As for what we are… that's a really long and fucked up story."

"We've got nothing but time." Daisuke refused to give an inch. He was not going anywhere until he got some answers.

"I'm a sidhe," Ken stated.

"A shee? What the fuck's that?" As they resumed walking, the shorter man raised his voice so Ken could hear him better.

Indigo eyes rolling skyward, Ken heaved an overly dramatic sigh. "One of the fey, the gentry, the shining ones." When he saw no recognition in Daisuke's eyes he continued. "The fairies…"

"You're a fairy?!" Stopping dead on the sidewalk, Dai was oblivious to the stares from passers by.

Grabbing the other man's arm Ken hissed, "Could you say it a little louder? I think there's a kid in Nicaragua who didn't hear you."

As he tried to comprehend this strange twist of events, Daisuke only managed to restate the obvious. "But you're a fairy!"

"And you're a fucking genius," Ken replied. "But yes, if it makes you happy to say so- I'm a fairy." Under his breath he added, "In every sense of the word it seems."

"What?" Daisuke felt confusion overwhelming him for the billionth time that day.

"Nothing. Come on, we've got to get to a hotel before this gets any worse." Ken motioned to his wound and continued walking down the street. Stopping at the first place he came to, heedless to its rather seedy appearance, Ken trudged to the room he rented for Daisuke and himself.

The curtains were drawn keeping the room in near perfect darkness despite the daylight outside. Stepping into the small space, Daisuke flipped the light-switch and was pleasantly surprised to see that the room was bug free. Insects either from general infestation or from… Ryo… made him cold. Something about bugs. But, he would have Ken to protect him. His guardian and savior- having saved him so many times already. Turning, he noticed the beautiful man locking the door and murmuring something too low for Daisuke to hear. His next action took Dai by complete surprise, causing him to almost fall to the floor in utter shock.

Ken stripped off his shirt and undid the fastening on his pants. Without removing any more clothing he sat on the only bed in the room and began to inspect his wound. "God dammit this hurts," Ken winced, prodding at the tiny hole in his skin.

"Do you, um, want me to take a look at it or anything?" Though Daisuke was offering he was hoping against all hope that Ken would say no.

Deep black hair swayed back and forth in the dim light as Ken gave a quick gasp. "No, but don't go anywhere. I may need something." That said, the pale man set his lips in a tight line and proceeded to dig further into his cut. Gritting his teeth against the pain he looked down to see that his index finger and thumb were immersed in his body up to the second knuckle. He heard a strangled sound from Daisuke but chose to ignore it. The bullet was so close to his reach- he could feel it. 

Daisuke stared at his companion. Stone faced, lips set in a tight line, a fine sheen of sweat forming on his brow. How could he simply reach into his own body like that and pull out a bullet? Cinnamon eyes widened as Ken sucked in a breath and removed his fingers from the wound. A small lump of metal covered with blood and thicker things fell to the floor. Swallowing back his tension, he took a shaky step forward. "Do you need anything?"

Having closed his eyes tightly, Ken opened them and was surprised to see the genuine look of concern on Dai's face. Pulling that bullet out had hurt and he was willing to bet his shields had come down while he had been concentrating. And in his mind, running through his veins, Ken could feel it- something he thought he had forgotten. Fear. Blinking quickly he covered it as fast as he could. What was it about this man that affected him so? "No, Daisuke," he replied softly. "I'll be fine." To prove his point he stood and let the other man watch as the bullet hole closed and healed itself leaving no trace of a scar.

Absolutely stupefied, Daisuke felt his mouth open, then close as he blinked in a vague attempt to comprehend this new twist. Finally deciding he needed to sit he sat, forgetting that there was nothing below him but the floor. Grimacing slightly when his tailbone connected with the hard flooring covered by such thin carpeting he looked back up at Ken. The other man did not seem to be willing to talk, so Daisuke tried to do what he had felt Yamato and Taichi do to him. Reaching out with fingers he could not see he gently pushed at Ken's mind. And felt a cold slap against his efforts.

"Don't do that," Ken scolded. "I don't appreciate it. People have tried to use me my whole fucking life and if you think I'm going to let _you_ do it simply because you're attractive, think again."

Scowling, Daisuke stood up. "Well it isn't like you're going to tell me what's going on. For some reason you seem to think I'm either or a complete dumbfuck or just not worth your time." The full impact of Ken's words had yet to sink in.

"Not worth my time?" Shaking his dark hair, the warrior whirled showing his back to his sparring partner. "Not worth my time… Indeed, that's why I try and save your sorry ass whenever someone tries to kill you. That's it exactly! You're not worth my fucking time! That's why I put my life on the line for you. That's why I dropped every barrier I had to get you out of that fucking room. Jesus, Dai…" Running his hands through his hair, he choked back the rest of his words. _How do I let you do this to me? How did you get in when no one else could? Why do I care so much about you?_

Barely stifling a gasp, Daisuke felt his eyes widen. The thoughts that ran through Ken's mind reflected in his own. "You… care about me?"

Spinning around again with a stricken look in his eyes, the pale man shouted, "It's not what you think! If I didn't protect you, who the fuck would? You've gotten into something that you don't understand. Something you can't understand. Unfortunately for me, no one else is able to handle this shit so I'm stuck defending you!"

Daisuke tried not to let his eyes fill with tears. He tried so hard. "Ken… I…"

"Don't," Ken cut Daisuke off. "Just fucking don't."

Why was he hurting him like this? The words cut so deeply, especially when Ken had finally been opening up to him. Biting his lip, perhaps a little too hard, he tasted blood. The metallic taste fueled his anger. "You know what, Ken? Fuck you! You might have saved me but you've been nothing but an asshole since. Telling me how girly I am, saying my skin fucking glows- yours is just as bad, if not worse! You're as moody as a woman too. Make up your fucking mind. You're either going to help me or you aren't. But just fucking decide will you? I'm sick of your macho bullshit!"

That caught him. Long moments of silence answered Daisuke's outburst before two glittering twilight eyes looked into burning spice, desperate to understand. "What do you mean when you say I glow?"

"I mean you fucking glow. Your skin shines like moonlight. It has from the time I met you. I don't know if it's because you're a freaking fairy, or whatever your word for it was but you fucking glow!" Finally moving from his position that faced off to Ken, Dai began to pace around the tiny room.

"Stop pacing," Ken frowned. Daisuke had always been able to see the glow in his skin? Did that mean he could see everything else? "Daisuke, look at me. Tell me what you see, tell me what I look like."

When he stopped pacing and stared at the other man, Dai had to take a breath. There was no way he could hide his attraction to Ken for this. "You've got… I mean, you're…"

"Just start with my hair," Ken said quietly.

Daisuke nodded. "Your hair… it's like velvet with diamonds in it. This deep blue that's almost navy, but doesn't quite make it, and it glitters in the right light. Your skin does glow, and it does look like moonlight. Like pale silver light that should only shine when the sun has set. And your eyes…" Daisuke's voice stopped working. He had seen how much Ken's eyes had widened at his words. Taking a breath to steady himself he finished his thoughts. "They're perfect violet. I mean, what else do you want me to say? You're beautiful, Ken, you've got to know that. Sora told me that this isn't your true face, that the true one was amazing. But I don't think I could handle seeing that one, this one is enough to, it's enough to-" His words stopped again, this time by a hand placed over his mouth. Through the soft ivory skin he could feel that Ken was shaking.

One hand over Dai's mouth, the other behind his head to make sure he could not get away, Ken tried to swallow his fear away and closed his eyes. "I don't know how you did it, or just who you really are," he began in a whisper, "but you've seen through my glamour. You've managed to see my true face. You threw fire at Ryo, you survived his torture, you've charmed everyone you've met, and you've seen me. How?"

Reaching up he slowly pushed the gentle touch away from his mouth. "I don't know. I told you I don't know anything about this stuff, Ken. I don't know how I threw that fire at Ryo or where the fuck the gun came from. I just don't know anything anymore." Tears fell from his eyes as he locked gazes with Ken. "Help me," he whispered, for once not worried that the warrior would think he was weak for crying.

The part of Ken that had cracked when he had first saved Daisuke broke even more. Pulling the crying man into his arms he hushed him, smoothing his hair, trying desperately to breathe around the tightness in his chest. Lowering his lips to one bronzed ear he whispered his reply. "Of course I will."

***

Sora gaped at the hole in the floor. It was more or less a crater, but the rim was smooth- a nice clean break. Just beyond the hole were a few stains from something that none of the others had been able to identify. As she surveyed the room, the rest of the house's occupants were researching the phenomenon that had occurred. Taking a deep breath she contemplated whether or not she should touch the broken surface of the floor. Though it would reveal what had happened she was unsure as to what Ken would want. Touching things in the room would reveal Ken's true self. Sora was plagued with indecision. 

Behind the auburn haired woman, Yamato and Taichi stepped into the room. Both went wide-eyed at the hole in the floor then cast quick glances around the rest of the space. Trying to gauge where the power source had come from they ended looking at one another, sharing the same thought.

Yamato spoke up, "Do you think Ken did this?" The blond had tried to steal remnants of the fight with his power but found nothing. The room was clean.

Sora shook her head. "No. I think whoever he fought did it. Ken would never willingly do something like this. Not to us." She took another step closer to the hole.

"Wait a minute, Sora," Taichi called her back. "How do you know he didn't do this? I mean, shit, we know he's strong and crazy as a motherfucker. What's to say he didn't do it? I can't get anything off the room. No traces left on the walls, the ceiling, even the furniture." As he spoke, the brunette studied his surroundings as if seeing them for the first time.

Behind the trio another voice sounded. "It's been purged." Koushiro stood in the doorway, a heavy and very old book in his hands. "This is one of the books Ken grabbed from the shelves during the fight. I think he was trying to warn us about something." Raising his onyx eyes from the pages he noticed Sora's movement. "I wouldn't, Sora. I'm fairly certain that there's a reason why Ken is warning us, and it's not because you'll see his true form."

"Ken does everything for a reason," Jyou came up to stand beside his beloved redhead. "He's precise in every last thing he does. So, I agree with you Kou-chan. There's a reason he pulled those books. He might not have known it at the time, but there's a reason."

Studying the pair, Sora tilted her head- she could almost hear whispers echoing off the walls. "Do the books all have similar content? Are they about the same subject?"

Koushiro nodded. "Mostly. They cover a wide variety of mythical and magical creatures. However, there is one particular group that appears in every book Ken set aside."

Sapphire eyes rolled. "And that would be? Come on, Kou, don't keep us in suspense here!"

"The fey," the redhead answered.

Taichi's breath halted. "Did you say the fey? I thought they were extinct. No one's heard anything from them in centuries, right?" Stepping closer to Yamato he gladly curled into his arms when pulled ever closer.

"They aren't as terrifying as you might think, Tai," Miyako called as she walked up the hall to the rest of the group. Iori was behind her.

"They were very powerful," the green eyed young man stated. "But they were immortal as well. Something that's immortal can't become extinct. It's impossible. But if that's what Ken is, then I think there's a good reason why he didn't tell us." He held up another book. "He also pulled out a couple books on demonology. We've got a lot of research ahead of us. Powers or not, this is going to take some time."

"It could," Sora replied, voice calm. "Or I could figure things out here and now…"

"I wouldn't," Miyako offered. "We're not certain of what Ken was trying to tell us. He's a methodical bastard, but we still don't know for sure." Looking past the shopkeeper, the maroon haired young woman finally noticed the hole in the wood floor. "Where did that come from? Holy shit! This floor was warded, I set the runes myself!" She shoved the others aside and knelt down at the crater in the wood. Sure enough, something had eaten right through her wards without breaking a sweat. This was even more disconcerting than a first glance would suggest. Miyako was known for her protective abilities- her warding was something of a phenomenon itself. Training school was helping to refine this skill, but her raw talent for the subject matter was something that had only previously existed in legends. "My wards," she whispered running a hand against the smooth break in the floor.

As the other woman touched the surface, Sora felt a painful flash in her heart. Gasping she staggered back a step before more power leaked away. "Miyako," she gasped, "get away from it. I think its booby trapped."

Standing quickly she caught the auburn haired woman before she fell, not minding if her memories were unleashed. Focusing her thoughts into something calming she gently sat Sora in the doorway. As she stood something flashed to her right, barely catching her eye. Looking at it straight on she saw no trace of whatever it was. Trying again she barely glimpsed it out of the corner of her eye. "Koushiro?"

"Yes, Miya? What is it? Did you find something else?"

"Wait," Iori spotted it as well. "There's something in the doorframe. "Koushiro pull it out if you can. I'll guide you."

After a few shaky minutes of direction the group marveled as a small light flickered before them. A perfect ball of blushing pink and blue- a silver tube lay in the center. The power had called Hikari and Takeru, and the pair stood trying to decipher how to grasp the tube without hurting themselves. It had been fairly easy to figure out that the light was meant as a protective barrier against unwanted readers- Taichi had been the one to test that theory. Yamato was nursing the burn on his lover's palm.

"Son of a bitch," the brunette cursed. "This better be worth it." He continued to mutter while his beloved ran comforting hands down his back. As he cursed every power that could create such pain he noticed his sister carefully eyeing the pulsating orb. "'Kari? You think of something?"

In response, the slender girl felt her brow furrow in confusion. Something about the light, it was pulling her in, nearly whispering to her. Taking a cautious step forward, hand outstretched, Hikari ran her power through the glowing ball. Almost immediately, she was pulled into a completely black space, the only light coming from within her own body. No walls, or doors, not even a floor per se. Hikari cast a few quick glances around her, marveling at how complete the darkness was. Closing her glittering cherry eyes she reached out farther still, only to feel the whisper of a touch. 

Somewhere, there was a place in Hikari's mind that recognized the distinctive signatures of each of her friends. Regardless of their separate powers, their personalities had their own patterns that shimmered in the air- lights in the midst of a dull world. These signatures were something she used to ground herself when she let her mind wander too far away. The familiar designs of each person would pull her back to safety. When her eyes opened again to the same void, she noticed something. In the darkness she had stepped into a familiar shape began to emerge, yet still stayed too faint to easily recognize. But she knew it all the same. Smiling to herself, Hikari shook her head in wonder. Even then, Ken was able to hide from them.

An impression of deep navy against the blackness flickered into her line of sight. Darkness against true emptiness, the colors shifted to rich violet laced with ebony, then morphed again before the surface of the pattern could shimmer the way it should. Ears perked, she listened, and Ken spoke to her. On the edges of consciousness, 'Kari could feel a threat looming. A blistering light of copper and caramel, a painful wave of oceanic blue. Before she realized what happened the outside powers overwhelmed her, tearing her away from Ken's voice and pulling her into complete darkness…

***

Shifting on the bed, Daisuke sipped at his cup of coffee. It seemed he and Ken were calling a truce on the insults. This was fine by Daisuke's standards. Without even understanding it, he was beginning to fall into something perilously close to… infatuation. He grimaced at the weak taste of his beverage, thinking on how risky it was to feel the way he was starting to feel about someone like Ken.

Back in the shop, Daisuke had witnessed the fight between Ryo and Ken, and found it entirely strange. They spoke as if they knew one another, fought as though they recognized the techniques. Still, Ryo had underestimated Ken in a big way. He had underestimated Daisuke too. The threat against those who had provided safety when no one else had shook him. Everything happened so fast that Dai could barely remember the heat of his anger, the flash at his fingertips. Taking another sip of coffee, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Closing his eyes, he bit back the confusion that threatened to choke him.

Ken was in the bathroom, having retreated there once he bought a few cups of coffee for Daisuke and returned to the room. Three empty paper cups stood tall on the nightstand, evidence of the soccer player's nervousness. He had wanted to ask Ken about something Ryo had said. Something about a brother, and Children of Air… However, Ken had seemed to anticipate this question and had simply holed up in the tiny bathroom. Sighing, Daisuke wondered if the pale, beautiful warrior found comfort sharing space with any cockroaches that might happen to have wandered into the vicinity.

Getting to his feet, he tried to reach out to Ken with shaking psychic fingers. For a moment he felt warmth, the need of a child to be comforted after a terrible nightmare. Daisuke pulled back. This feeling from Ken bothered him. If they were both scared, who would protect them? Ken was supposed to be strong, Daisuke was supposed to be the one who was falling to pieces. As he took a deep breath, he stepped up to the door. "Ken?"

There was quiet shuffling beyond the flimsy wooden barrier, then a hesitant response. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You've been in there for a while now, and I was starting to get worried." He tried, and failed, to hide the shake in his voice.

A derisive snort came from the other side of the door. "You sound scared, Daisuke," Ken's voice was mocking. "What's the matter? Afraid of the monsters? Afraid I might try to kill you or maybe torture you the way Ryo did?"

It took a moment, but Daisuke realized Ken was not mocking him; he was mocking himself. "Ken," he stuttered around the name, "I'm sorry you feel that way about things. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you're a freak." Gently, he ran one bronze hand against the wood, watching as it stood out in stark contrast- shine against flatness.

"Oh really? Then what am I?" Around the bitter laughter, Ken muttered something else that he thought Daisuke would not be able to hear. "I'm nothing, just worthless. You don't need me."

Startled by this notion, Daisuke pulled back a bit, eyes blinking in rapid fire. "You really think that? That I don't need you?" A small laugh escaped him. "How could you think that way about yourself? Fuck, Ken! You're so beautiful-"

"You don't know me! You don't know what I've done! Don't call me that when you have no idea who I am." His anger was so thick that it crashed against the door. Ken bit his tongue until he tasted blood, and felt the wound close seconds after it was made. "You have no idea," he whispered.

In his desperation, the fiery man slammed a fist against the wooden door. "I don't fucking care how many people, or demons or whatever else you've killed, Ken. I need your help. Even if I didn't need your help I still wouldn't give a shit what you've done." A hand ran through his wine colored hair, pulled at the roots as his cinnamon eyes squeezed shut. "Jesus, Ken- stop acting like such a fucking child. I'm not going to try and stone you to death or something so stop the hissy fit." Slamming a fist into the door again, Daisuke stepped back to sit on the bed once more. He was surprised to hear Ken fumble with the doorknob, the creak of rusted hinges. "It's about time." 

"I'm not acting like a child." Violet eyes narrowed to sparkling slits, Ken stalked towards the bed and towered over Daisuke.

Raising an eyebrow, he pursed his lips. "Oh no, not at all." Cinnamon eyes gleamed, daring Ken to fight him. "Quit being such a fucking baby. We need to figure this out, not beat the shit out of each other."

The tension eased out of his frame as the pale man realized he could not easily intimidate Daisuke. Not anymore at least. "I supposed you're right." Stretching and scratching his neck, Ken noticed the way his companion tried not to look at him, but kept staring. Eyes rolling as high as they could go, he sighed. "Just ask already, would you? The wait is getting tedious."

Daisuke stuck his tongue out. "You can be such a bitch, you know that? But since you demanded so nicely…" Clearing his throat he eyed Ken, completely aware of the caution that was necessary for this task. "Ryo, he called you a Child of Air, said you have a brother… do you? And what's a Child of Air?"

He had not been expecting that question. Ken coughed, hiding his surprise. Throughout the confrontation he could have sworn Daisuke was unconscious. "Yes, I have a brother. No, we don't get along- for many reasons. The biggest reason being that he's a power hungry asshole, but that's ancient history. As for being a child of Air… well, you saw what I did, what I can do. It's only a small measure of my true power."

"Fuck."

"Indeed." Ken smirked at Daisuke's shock. "Sora probably told you about my… upbringing. The demons who raised me taught me how to manipulate my power practically from birth."

"Wait a minute," Dai interrupted. "If they had you almost from birth how do you know your brother well enough to dislike his so much?"

"I'm getting to that," Ken sat on the bed, long legs crossed. "And I don't dislike him," he replied.

"Oh no?"

He shook his head, twilight hair shaking with it. "No. I fucking hate him."

***

Cherry eyes flickered towards consciousness once more. Around her she could hear the voices of her friends.

"Hey guys! I think she's waking up," there was Takeru, most likely he was the one she could feel perched over her.

"Back up, let me take a look at her," Jyou, voice full of command and knowledge of medicine if needed.

Her eyelids opened finally, once and for all. "I'm okay," Hikari breathed. The swarming of power had left her more than a little winded. "Did it work?"

"Did it ever!" Taichi bounced over to his sister brandishing half of the silver tube. Looking past him she could see Koushiro, Sora, and Iori pondering over the scroll that had been inside.

As she thought about it, Hikari felt a gentle hand sifting through her hair. Turning to its owner she gave a hesitant smile. Miyako blinked back at her, amber eyes full of unshed tears. The maroon haired young woman was known for both great magical skill and having a heart of steel. She never cried.

"Miyako, are you okay?" She leaned forward, cherry tinted vision radiating puzzlement.

Miyako nodded as her gaze dropped. Swallowing, she looked up again and whispered, "I almost lost you." Then before 'Kari could say anything she found herself wrapped in a pair of strong, though trembling, arms. "I was so scared I had lost you forever," Miyako whispered. "I can't stand the thought of losing you, Kari-chan."

Nuzzling into the arms of her love she smiled at what went unsaid, but was known at the same time.

***

"So, let me get this straight," Daisuke fidgeted as he thought. "If you're a fey, why are you in Japan? I thought your kind came from Europe."

"We did originally. What's left of my family came from there. Aside from my brother I haven't seen them in years. The demon pack that raised me took me away when I was maybe two years old and brought me here. After I broke free of them I met a man who helped me control certain tendencies I have. I blood bonded with him. He was a kitsune- a fox."

"Yeah, I know what the kitsune are." Casting a furtive glance at Ken, Dai took a deep breath and continued. "Tendencies?"

"Rage. Killing. Bloodlust. If you need more description let me know…"

"No, no, no… that's really okay."

***

"From what we've gathered, Ken placed this in the doorway shortly before he left," Koushiro motioned to the scroll on the table the others had seated themselves at. "He's loath to admit what he is, but he's pretty much assuming we've figured it out by now. Basically, all he's told us is that he and Daisuke have left. Ken knows who's after them now, so he knows what to expect. And it seems our assumptions about his feelings concerning Daisuke were correct. It's another touchy subject with him, but he's sworn he'll protect Daisuke from what's after them."

"He said he would protect us too," Sora spoke up. It was only fair to mention that part as well.

"That's true, but I might add that was secondary to his concern about Daisuke's personal safety." The redhead broke out in a smile. "I think our mysterious warrior has fallen in love."

"Or at least a serious case of lust," Taichi snickered from his seat. "Can't say I blame him much. You saw Dai's body. Damn, he's fine." The brunette whistled as he lounged in his chair. "Did Ken mention if he figured out the hottie's powers? Like having an ass you could bounce quarters off of…?" He squawked a moment later as his lover cuffed him across the back of the head.

"You stay away from Daisuke," the blond's voice was smoldering. "Bitch." Yamato kept muttering until Tai leaned over and whispered something in his ear, causing him to give the others a devilish grin and pull his boyfriend onto his lap. As they started kissing there was a cough.

"This is all well and good," Miyako blatantly ignored the couple's antics. "But did Ken say what we're up against?"

"Well," Koushiro paused, "no. But he did give us some great clues."

Everyone present let out a groan at the thought of research.

***

Cinnamon eyes watched as Ken checked the window and door locks for the thirtieth time. "You're blood bound with a kitsune. How do you benefit from that?"

Standing up after firmly assuring himself no one was getting into the room, Ken walked over to a chair beside the bed. "It means wherever the kitsune are, I will always have a place to stay. Thusly, Japan has become my homeland just as it is theirs. My own healing powers also went through the roof when I was first bound. But I haven't had to use them in a while." He sat back in the chair and watched as Daisuke thought this over. Violet eyes shifted with the small point of pearl that bit at the other mans lower lip. In the dim light, he was a sparkling jewel- a delicious bundle of blood… Ken cut the train of thought short unsure where it was going.

"Tell me about your brother." Dai knew he was blushing as he made the demand. Eyes flickering up to the beautiful face opposite him he continued. "I know you don't like him. Ryo said you were a Child of Air, but he didn't say your brother was. And I think you know who's coming after me." Words dropping away he gasped at the few images flickering behind his eyes. "Strike that," he corrected. "I know you know who's after me."

Startled by the accusation, Ken looked up sharply. As he did, he noticed the way Daisuke's eyes were flickering around the room, the fine shake of his eyelashes. Dammit, he must have been broadcasting. How did this man get past his defenses so easily? Finally, he spoke in slow, measured tones. "Yes, I'm pretty sure I know who's after you, though I'm not sure why. As for my brother…" He frowned as a collective of memories swelled and crashed over him in a tsunami of bitterness, anger, and regret. "No, he isn't a Child of Air like I am. He's a Child of Water, just as Ryo is a Child of Earth, and you know about me. There should be four of us, with a Child of Fire we would be complete. Maybe they think that's what you are. I honestly don't know."

"The four basic elements," Daisuke murmured to himself. "It makes sense." Raising his voice a little he frowned. "But why me? People know my name and my face. If I randomly disappear someone's going to notice. As someone of Water your brother should be chock full of intuition, he should know all this. It doesn't make sense." Shaking his head, he pounded a fist against the mattress. "When was the last time you saw your brother?"

"When he tried to kill me."

***

"Back up the gravy train here," Taichi jumped in. "How did you say we were going to find them? They're two of the most shielded individuals on the planet. 'Kari's not going to be able to find them. We all know Miya and Iori can't find them. And as much as I love you Teeks, you won't find them either. Yama and I have already tried. Kou, you and Jyou don't have the necessary skills. That only leaves…"

"Me," Sora said calmly. "Or, if we knew where she was, Mimi." She turned away from the others. The simple thought of her love nearly driving her to her knees. When her girlfriend had been around, they had faced this kind of danger without worry. Laughter and happiness bubbled throughout the shop. Now the air was thick, dead. "But, she's gone. So, it looks like I've been volunteered. It might be because I've seen Ken's true face before that he trusts me with this. Whatever happens, let's just hope I can tell you something useful before I pass out."

Miyako and Hikari were on their feet in seconds. "You can't do this," Miyako was insistent.

"You could die," 'Kari gasped. She stopped, cherry eyes slowly filling with the fine shimmer of tears. "But that's what you want," she whispered.

"Maybe," Sora replied. "I want to see Mimi again too, but you can't always get what you want, ne? Come on." Standing, the auburn haired woman motioned for the others to follow her into the front room. "We've got to prepare."

***

Silence had descended upon the tiny space for several minutes. Daisuke swallowed, trying to make his suddenly dry throat work. When he first spoke his voice cracked a little. "He tried to kill you?" There was a nod. "But you're immortal aren't you? Bound with a kitsune, another immortal creature, you should be indestructible."

Ken's smile was bitter. "As Ryo so kindly pointed out, apparently not." Memories he had not accessed in a very long time built in the back of his mind, waiting to overtake him. "Though I was raised by demons, they never shared their secrets of prolonged life. And the sidhe can die. That bullet Ryo shot me with was iron- it hurts my kind. Some of the old legends were true. Cold iron will harm me, even contain me if necessary. Hot iron will scar me and if properly applied kill me." He sighed letting the bitterness of his words seep into the air. Smiling to himself, Ken thought over how much the air could effect everything.

"You were shot, but you healed. And you never answered my question about your brother." Rubbing at tired eyes, Dai saw a few filtered images in his mind. At least Ken was sharing. "How could he drown you?"

The warrior shrugged. "He couldn't. He tried and he failed. When his plans didn't go how he wanted he sought out someone who would take care of his problem. Being the bastard that he is, he gave them all the information they needed and lead them straight to me." When he stopped, he blinked at the other man's horrified stare. "Do you still wonder why I hate him?"

"No."

"Good. Now, we should try and get some sleep while we can. I don't think anyone will look for us here so we should be okay." Studying the small space, Ken grabbed a pillow from the bed and one of the blankets. "I'll sleep on the floor. If you need anything…"

"It's okay, Ken. I'll be fine," Daisuke gave the other man a tired smile. Eyes cautious, Dai watched as Ken returned the smile. The marvel was not in its rarity, but in it's simple beauty. So, here he was with a sidhe who had been blood bound with a kitsune and raised by a pack of demons. Well, at least he knew Ken would keep him safe. It was better than being on his own. Not to mention the fine scenery. As he skipped through a vaguely sexual train of thought he paused again. Wondering if it would be okay to ask, or whether Ken would kill him for it, Daisuke decided to save his questions about Ken's sexuality for another day. No use getting ahead of himself.

***

A chalk circle marked the floor with designs of white, pale blue, and forest green decorating the edges. Compass points were marked and each presented with a gift of that destination's element- be it air, fire, water, or earth. At the east and west points two statues gleamed, their finely polished porcelain catching the light. Outside the chalk lines, each person who was needed for the ritual stood, holding sigils that signified who they were, who they were offering to.

Koushiro eyed the statues and glanced at Sora who stood calmly behind him. "The Dragon and the Tiger?"

Her gentle eyes flicked to him briefly. "It's Tigress, actually. Xi Wang Mu, the mother of the East, goddess of death and rebirth, all that is feminine. Mu Gong, the Dragon, father of the West, once a commander of legions now immortalized forever as yang- everything masculine." She stopped and thought about something Mimi had once remarked on. A ghost of a smile flitted over Sora's face. "You know it's funny really. They represent balance to one another, yet they hold their own balance within themselves."

The redheaded man was silent as he thought this over. "Shouldn't there be an aspect for yodel, the Angel?"

"That goes in the center," Sora replied, "where I'm supposed to stand." Trying to ignore the blood draining from her face, she stepped forward making sure, one last time, that the others held the correct sigils. A star for Lucifer, an I-Ching coin, a feather for Isis, a mirror, a crescent moon for Hecate, a tear-shaped crystal, a shell for Vishnu, an olive branch, a cross for Brighid…

Gathering all the strength she could find, Sora stepped over the first line of chalk- forest green casting memories of the Hunt. A flash of fur and blood, a glimpse of horns and goblets of wine, a fire in a cave. Taking a deep breath she crossed the second line- pale blue sending her into the sky. Feathers covered her vision for a moment, replaced by sights of the sun shining it's first light over the horizon. The serenity gave her courage to step into the center, beyond the white line. Once there, all memories and thoughts ceased. Sora stood alone and emotionally naked, stripped of power for the first time in years. Quietness resounded in her head. Tranquil moments of peace made her realize there was no turning back. Feeling so vulnerable to the universe she sent out a quick prayer to whomever might have been listening to grant her safe passage. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out a tiny piece of silver, taken from Ken's tiny altar in his room. Placing the gleaming metal at her feet she lifted her eyes to look at her friends. "Take each other's hands," she murmured.

As the others obeyed the now subdued woman, they did what they had been instructed to do. Each one closed their eyes and focused their energies on Ken- be it a purely visual memory or a complete experience. With their emotions swirling through the room they remained still, their heads bowed and eyes closed to the sight of true power being unleashed. Sora stood in awe as she watched the play of light energy flutter through the air. Given only scant moments to enjoy the sight, she felt herself become grounded in the floor. Pure energy bolted up her spine like a shot of white lightning. Sounds of laughter and tears beat against her eardrums. Sora stood tall, for the moment a being of pure emotional energy. She gasped as the power surged through her. "Ken…"

***

****

to be continued

and I leave it hanging yet again. I know this part was shorter than the first, but this seemed like the right place to stop. writer's block has, thankfully, stayed away but the story is still tough to write- all involved and everything. since it wasn't at the top: I don't own the show, or the characters, I don't own the pantheons. review if you like, but no one's going to force you…


	3. 3

Notes: ack! Man, life can get hectic. Between computer crashes, Purple Haze martinis and/or Apple martinis, the world has become quite hazy and very fun lovin'. Give it up for Summer! However, things are back in semi-full effect and this story was starting to pull at my brain a lot, so I figured I should update before I questioned my sanity levels. (Is it bad to talk to yourself in public?) And no, I don't endorse heavy drinking- it leads to loss of brain cells, hideous judgment calls and bad liver tissue. You should see some of the people at the bars… oy.

Moving on… 

__

Shinwa- chapter 3

Daisuke woke to a wide-eyed Ken with a finger to his lips. Sitting up abruptly, he looked around as the dark haired man pulled out a rather wicked looking knife and motioned to the door. Someone was definitely outside. And said person was also trying to get in. Looking to Ken, Daisuke shifted slowly off the bed and down to the floor at the warrior's direction. He could hear a few mumbled curses outside the room. Even with the curtains drawn, the pair was able to see. It took Dai a moment to figure out why, but he finally realized the glow from Ken's skin gave the room a pale illumination. He hissed as he looked at his own hands- they were shining as well. He would have to ask Ken about that later.

"Get down, and stay down," the warrior whispered- hair brushing against Daisuke's cheek, breath tickling the curve of his ear. "Don't move until I say so, got it?"

In his still half-asleep state the other man nodded dumbly, not sure his voice would work properly given all the sexual stimuli from Ken. Curling into a ball, he laid one cheek against the floor, forgetting for a few moments about the possibilities of violence, bugs, or even sudden death. Ken was becoming more and more tactile. Daisuke could almost feel the warrior's tongue against his skin like wet silk.

When the door opened a high, clear, female voice rang through the room. "Shit! Dammit, Rika- why do all of these doors stick so much? Go get the janitor so we can fix this one, ok?" The voice danced across the air- slicing through space as if made of pure crystalline laughter and light. It felt comfortable, familiar almost.

For a split second, Dai saw recognition flash across Ken's face. In the next moment a barrage of images skittered across his brain. Glimpses of pink and auburn, soft touches and gentle smiles, an empty space full of promise as it lay in wait for its owners to fill its shelves with books and trinkets… In the few moments it took his head to clear, Daisuke shook the visions away and whispered quietly.

Ken did a double take at his companion. How could he have known? Seconds later his brain caught up, and after reminding him that he was barely awake, he recalled Daisuke's ability to catch flashes from other people. "Yes," he agreed softly, "that's Mimi." The warmth in the cinnamon eyes beside him almost made his face soften. Almost. There were too many coincidences for Ken's liking. He stood and waited for the girl to see him.

Movements of cleaning coming naturally, the slender young woman swept through the room lost in thought and oblivious to its occupants until she pulled the curtains- sunlight streaming in, revealing a tall dark haired man only inches away. Before she could let out a shriek, Mimi had the sense to cover her mouth with one hand. It had been a while, but certain people were impossible to forget. When she finally lowered her hand, she knew her mouth was hanging open in shock. "Ken," she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

Smirking at the question he gestured to the man crouching on the floor behind him. He took a small amount of delight as her shock registered further as the possibilities flickered through her mind. It took a moment before she realized what he was doing and turned to look at him once more- this time making a face at him. 

"Bastard," she muttered. "Since when do you guard the rich and famous?"

Tilting his head to one side, Daisuke decided it was time to throw in his two cents. "Since some demons tried to kill me. Well, at separate times, so I guess that would make them assassination attempts. I'm Motomiya Daisuke, which I guess you knew. Ken saved my life a bunch of times and we're hiding out here to keep your friends out of danger. And Sora misses you a whole lot, by the way." His words trailed off as he held out his hand. When she eyed the appendage, but refused physical contact a memory bell rang. "I know you're not touch sensitive, but it must be touchy something to be a compliment to Sora. And did I say she misses you?"

"Yes," Mimi replied. "And I'm not touch anything. Not anymore." Biting her bottom lip she turned to leave as nostalgia swelled in her throat, blossomed in her eyes and threatened to spill over. "It was good to see you, Ken. And a pleasure to meet you, Motomiya-san. I'll leave you alone now. Please do me a favor and don't mention this to Sora." 

Watching the retreating figure, the Child of Air frowned and moved to cut her off. A quick rush in the current of the room and Ken blocked her path. Blinking wide eyes, Mimi paused. He had never moved like that before. However, he had also never threatened her, so she took that to mean he would let her pass. When he drew a blade from thin air she paused again.

"How long have you worked here, Mimi?" Ken's voice was smooth, cold, hard.

Thinking for a moment she edged away from the weapon he held with practiced ease. "Since a month or two after I left. Why?" Caution etched into the air. Her nervousness made her eyes dart to the corners of the room- inspecting the shadows. It was tempting to hit Ken with everything she had. But things seemed to be different.

Barely covering his surprise, the warrior sheathed his weapon back in the air. "Interesting."

Behind Mimi, Daisuke rolled his fiery eyes towards the heavens. "Jesus, Ken. Why don't you just say what you're thinking instead of playing Captain oh-so-fucking-Macho? You think your kitsune friend lead us here. Just fucking say it, all right?" Shaking his head, the darker man turned back to the room and decided to make himself comfortable on the bed. When he looked up he found two sets of bewildered eyes watching him. Giving a sheepish smile, he added, "That is what you were thinking, right?" Even a blind man could have seen the fear sliding through the twilight eyes. "It would take some serious mojo to do that, wouldn't it?"

As he tucked away his shock, Ken nodded, expression grim. "Yes, it would take a lot of power. That is exactly what I was thinking. Don't do that again." A quick glance at Mimi revealed an extensive history. "That's quite the wig you've got on there." His words cut off as he felt something pushing at his mind, shoving him aside.

"I don't have time for this," Mimi snapped. "Get out of my way, Ken." As she tried to move past him, Ken pulled his sword and leveled the blade at her jugular. 

"I don't think so, Mimi," he hissed. He motioned to a chair beside the bed. "Take a seat. Stay a while." When she obeyed he frowned again. "Now, we're going to play a little game, Miss Mimi. I'm going to ask you some questions, and you're going to answer them. Don't lie to me either, because believe me- I will know if you're lying. And if you do lie it's going to cost you." Finishing his little speech he began to twirl a gutting knife in his left hand and gave her his best smile. "You want to play, Mimi?"

Fear filled her throat, blocking her concentration. Mimi was completely unable to even access her power. This was not fair! Ken was supposed to protect her. Granted, she had walked out on Sora, but they all had to know she would return one day. Hopefully, she could be forgiven. There were things she had to deal with first… The shine in Ken's eyes told her there was no getting out of this. She couldn't simply walk away this time. Her voice came in a ragged whisper. "What do you want to know?" 

"Ken!" Daisuke shattered the tension in one second. "Stop being such an asshole! You're scaring Mimi and you're not going to accomplish anything by acting like a fucking retard." When the pale man opened his mouth to protest, Dai pointed a finger at him. "Don't. I don't want to hear your excuses. Just because you think it's too coincidental that she's here doesn't mean you can be such a damn baby all the time. So shut the hell up until you can learn to play nice."

"Will you stop that?!" Ken's voice shook with anger. No one violated his privacy like that. Simply because he was attracted to Daisuke, he was not going to let him waltz through his thoughts so easily.

"Only if you stop fucking broadcasting. I swear, Ken, every time you think something I can hear it. I can hear your breathing, I can hear your heartbeat and it's tripping me out so why don't you try to tone it down before you accuse me of doing anything, all right your highness?" Chest heaving, Daisuke blinked back hot tears. First he was glowing, now he could hear Ken's every thought and breath. Ken's entire being was threatening to overwhelm him if he stayed where he was. "I need to go for a walk." That being said, he fled from the room, leaving Ken and Mimi to stare out the door. A few seconds later they both followed.

***

The group gathered around Sora. With the power of their circle broken, they moved closer to the woman who lay curled on the floor. To her immediate left there was a small puddle- almost like moonlight it reflected the ghostly faces surrounding it. The piece from Ken's altar had melted, then boiled in Sora's hands making her scream. Her eyes had closed when they began the ritual and had not re-opened since. 

Reaching out a tentative hand, Koushiro gently prodded at the woman's shoulder. When her head lolled to one side as she gasped the group prepared to rush forward. Soft chestnut eyes opened finally and there was a collective sigh of relief.

"Welcome back to the waking world," Koushiro smiled. "We thought you might have been gone for good."

Too weak to really speak, the auburn haired woman shook her head and tried to sit up. Four pairs of hands helped her rise and remain steady. Coughing she shook loose the last bits of magic that had paralyzed her vocal chords. "No, I came back. Couldn't leave all of you here alone. Goddess knows what would happen to the shop."

As the group tittered, Jyou knelt by her side. "So what did you see? Or do you need help processing," he gestured to Yamato who stood with Taichi, both ready to help if needed. They could pull the experience from Sora's mind, process it, and then relay the information back to the others.

Again, Sora shook her head. "I can do it," she rasped. "I'm strong enough." When the power had taken her in such a rush it had taken a few seconds to control. Once her mind quieted down she caught a familiar emotional signature in the spectral distance. Violence, bitterness, and a true sense of power caught her attention quickly. Despite their cloaking skills, Ken and Daisuke were no match for the group. Even they could not hide from their call. However, when she approached in her astral form… something had cast her out.

As she coughed again a flicker of memory darted through her mind. Jumping from neuron to neuron it remained elusive until she focused. It was something so familiar. A feeling, a being she had nearly forgotten- all the pain it had caused having receded to the back of Sora's mind. 

Pink. The memory was pink. 

"Mimi," she whispered. Before anyone could ask questions Sora felt her eyes overflow as she began to cry.

***

Daisuke had walked for several blocks and was still trying to walk off the stress. Nothing seemed to be helping. The fact that he knew he had two shadows following him was not making things any easier. He could hear the whisper of Ken's thoughts behind him, though he knew the other man was trying his best to keep silent. Everything was so confusing. He felt so lost. Twenty-four hours before he had awoken to a normal life. Single, fairly messy apartment, enough money to be happy, a successful business that meant he had a steady job… Cinnamon eyes clouded as he mulled over his life. Strange, he had failed to notice it before. But he had always felt as if something were missing. Closing his eyes against the warm sting of tears- so familiar to him now- Dai crumpled to the sidewalk.

"No," he whispered. "It's not… I can't do this. It's too much. He can't be. He just can't…" Despite his best wishes, Daisuke knew he was in over his head. Ken was what had been missing. Even as he felt the sidhe trailing behind him in the shadows, he knew he would never be complete unless he was beside the shining one forever. Crying in the midst of pedestrian traffic, Dai looked up when a pair of feet stopped in front of him.

"Are you okay, kiddo?" Mimi crouched beside the weeping man keeping watch for Ken out of the corner of her eye.

"Don't call me that," he scowled. "I'm only a few years younger than you. And besides, I'm not a kid." Swiping at his nose Daisuke gave the pink haired woman a tiny smile. "We should get moving before we attract any unwanted attention."

As they stood and wandered into a nearby herbal shop, Mimi frowned. "Is it really that bad? The things chasing you, I mean."

Studying the bottles on the shelves he felt drained. "Yeah," he replied softly. "It's that bad. I'm so lucky Ken was there…" Words trailing away he shook his head against looming tears. Seconds later he heard the bell on the door, felt the shining presence and it's according smile. Wait… smile?

Stepping through the doorway, Ken felt as though he had walked back in time. It had literally been years since he had dared venture into any herbalist shop for fear of exactly what he was trying to protect Daisuke from. _Daisuke…_ With the thought he almost felt the walls around him draw a collective breath. _He warned me too. All those years ago, this is what he was trying to tell me…_ A watery laugh escaped Ken's mouth as he shook his head. Masking his emotions before anyone noticed he cautiously stepped up behind the redhead. "We shouldn't have come here," the warrior said quietly.

Turning his head, Daisuke glanced at his traveling companion. "Too much nostalgia, eh? Look, Ken, I know you're worried about him. We won't stay long. I just want to meet him." Startled violet eyes burned his skin as a strong hand gripped his arm. Smiling gently, Dai answered the unasked question. "Because he was part of your life."

Ken blinked the sharp pain in his eyes away as quickly as he could. No. This was not possible. How could he get past his defenses so easily? More importantly, how could Ken have let himself forget that warning? Eyes raising, he let his gaze follow the bronzed figure. Wine colored hair touched with soft gleams of copper from the lighting. Luminous in his way, the man wound his way through the shelves. Watching as he reached up to take a glass decanter from one shelf, Ken felt something click into place. A soft gasp came from his mouth. How could he have missed this before?

"Because you were too busy feeling and thinking other things," a voice came from behind Ken. A small, elderly man gave him a pat on the back- his eyes shining with that gentle acceptance of life that comes only from years of toil. "You were so caught up in that initial meeting that you would not have seen it at all, were it not for this chance reunion." This generated a warm smile that made the man's eyes sparkle. "It's good to see you once again, Ken."

Biting a trembling lip, the warrior nodded, unable to speak. No wonder so many things had attracted him to Daisuke. Whether either of them liked it or not, it seemed they were bound. Violet eyes straying back to watch the redhead Ken felt his carefully constructed walls crumbling, breaking. Fear being so foreign to him at that point, he had no idea how to categorize the burning ache in his chest. It brought tears to his eyes, fire to his veins. He had fought for so long to control all of the feelings brewing inside him. This was the beginning of something big, something that even with all of his power he could not overcome. "I'm so scared," he whispered, turning to the old man. "Help me, Gennai."

***

Once Gennai had closed up for the night he brought his three guests upstairs to his small living quarters. The first thing Daisuke noticed upon entering was the utter minimalism of the apartment. Secondly, he stared in awe as he watched the old man's face gradually began to shift- chin becoming clearly pointed, eyes smaller, nose elongated. After a few moments the man smiled again and bowed to his visitors. 

"Welcome. I am Gennai of the kitsune, and as you are friends of Ken whom I share a blood bond with you are welcome to anything here." Standing upright he motioned for the three guests to follow him. They shuffled into a small kitchen area and sat at the painted wooden table when it was indicated that they should. Grinning as he watched the two strangers pick at the chipping blue paint. "I say there's nothing like a good cup of tea after a long day of work."

The thread of formality cut, Daisuke slumped in his chair. A moment later he looked up, eyes bright. "So, you're a kitsune, huh? Bound with Ken?" He leaned forward and added in a conspirational tone, "What was he like back in the day?"

A dark look passed on the kitsune's face. "You should not be asking such questions, whether in jest or not. Though, I would be more than willing to believe that Ken has shared secrets with you. He can hide nothing in that respect." When Ken coughed the old man's face lightened again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daisuke blinked, eyes full of curiosity. Sighing, he thought of something else to inquire about. "Perhaps you can tell me about his brother then. It seems he's after me for some reason."

Mimi's head shot up from her intense study of the table. "Ken has a brother?"

Gennai and Ken exchanged glances briefly before the shape-shifter stepped forward and blew a handful of powder onto the woman's face. Her eyes closed and she relaxed into sleep. "She won't remember," the kitsune said. "They rarely do. Even the ones of magic such as her."

Eyes darting towards the magic pair standing close by, Dai felt his panic level skyrocket. "You're not going to dust me too, are you?" When the pair shook their heads in unison, relief flooded him. "So, tell me about- Osamu, was it? The Child of Water?"

Turning to Ken, the elder raised an eyebrow. "It seems you've revealed a lot more to him than I had suspected. How much does he know?"

Very quietly, Ken and Daisuke told Gennai about the events of the past twenty-four hours. As each spoke they glanced at one another- all swift blushes and gentle smiles. Simply by watching them anyone could see what was happening. But it was equally clear that they were both fighting with it. They struggled to stay away from one another, yet they could not deny that something existed that pulled them back every time. True to the prediction made by the kitsune years beforehand. Tea was poured swiftly; refilling cups several times before the complete story was done. Daisuke and Ken fumbled around a few times. Awkward descriptions came here or there concerning how much they had revealed to each other in such a brief time.

When the flow of words ceased the trio stopped a moment to reflect. Running a hand through his hair out of habit, Dai glanced at the sleeping woman they had all forgotten about. "You said she has power," he said softly, as if speaking to loud would rouse her from her magical slumber. "What is it? What does she do?"

Rubbing at tired twilight eyes, Ken yawned before answering. "Just as Sora is a touch sensitive, Mimi's gift is similar. She's what the group deemed a 'borrower'. With her ability she can slip into the mind of another, experience the world as they see it, travel with them even."

He nodded before Ken even finished speaking. Flickers of memory danced in his mind. "That's why she left, isn't it? She couldn't control the energy." Shaking his head sadly, Daisuke mourned for Sora. No wonder the subject of love was such a tender one with the auburn haired shopkeeper. Dueling with power that was out of control on her own took a lot of effort, but dealing with it for two people had to be staggering. It was such a shame because they really were in love too. He sighed and looked up at the kitsune again. "So, what of Osamu? And Ryo? Why do you think they're after me?"

"I've already figured that part out," Ken replied, bitterly. Tearing his eyes away from the scene he stood, all grace and fluid movement, and walked out of the room before anyone could protest.

Gennai merely laid a hand on Daisuke's arm and shook his head when the younger man moved to pursue the matter. "He needs some time to process all of this. When he is ready, he'll return." As he saw the hurt swimming in the soft cinnamon eyes, he added, "It's very difficult for him. This is a tricky situation you find yourselves in, Daisuke. Though Ken protects the others out of sheer necessity, he is watching over you for something more. There is a greater purpose to all of this."

At these words the redhead frowned. "Would you mind telling me what it is? I've tried to read Ken, but he just won't let me in. I know it's hard and I wish he would believe that I don't want to hurt him." He sighed again and stood, badly needing to stretch his legs. "Ken is…" He shook his head. "I can't even put into words what he is. I wish I could, but right now I'm too terrified to think straight."

The elder merely nodded. Standing he gestured towards the doorway leading to the rest of the apartment. It was time for them to sleep, to dream of answers the waking world could not provide. After showing Daisuke to his room, the kitsune stopped. "Daisuke," he called softly, causing the young man to look up. "If you are still unsure, then think on this matter. How is it, do you think, that Ken came to be in that particular bar, on that particular day to save you?"

Dai gave a sad smile. "And how is it that I can hear his thoughts? Feel his heartbeat as if it were my own?"

The shape-shifter nodded. "How indeed. Oyasumi, Daisuke-san." Then he closed the door, leaving the other man to think and wonder. When Ken stepped out of the shadows, Gennai was not entirely surprised. "Good evening, Ken. You should be able to find your old room. Everything is just as you left it except, of course, for your weapons."

The Child of Air gave a tight smile. "You know I left some things behind on purpose, Gennai."

"Hai. I know." Pausing in his shuffling for a moment he glanced at the warrior. Noticing how the violet eyes scanned over the surface of the door, the way those eyes filled with affection, the innate sadness wrought around his entire being. "Perhaps your career of merely watching him should come to an end." That said, he bid the startled fey good night and shuffled away.

Standing outside Daisuke's room, Ken touched the door, feeling how delicate it was, watching the way his glowing skin seemed to float through the air. He could feel the presence in the room. It called to something deep within him, just as it always had. Alone in the darkness, Ken let the other presence filter through him- nearly caressing him. Fighting against everything he felt, he wondered which was worse: the fact that he was becoming so addicted to this presence or that he even needed to be in the first place.

Placing one hand on the doorknob he whispered to himself, "Perhaps it's time." Then he opened the door.

***

"He's getting weaker," one of them sneered. "The more time he spends with our bounty, the weaker he grows. We should take him. We _could_ take him…" Suggestion lingered in the tone.

"No," came the flat reply. A cough made him look up, all sharp movements.

He coughed blood into his hand. "Dammit that little fucker was a good shot. This is taking forever to heal." Ryo coughed again.

"Yes, it seems we've underestimated our absent fey. An unfortunate oversight. It will not happen again, I can assure you." Cold eyes studied the Child of Earth. Ice covered the gaze like crystals and wrapped in a tight fist around the heart. For a brief moment the arctic chill dissipated. "Are you all right?"

Ryo looked up at his companion. "I'll be fine." A sultry smile worked across his mouth. "Now come to bed, Osamu. We can worry about them later." Caramel arms wrapped around a perfect alabaster neck, flushed lips brushed against an ear. "Please?" Skilled hands dipped lower, lower still…

"Not right now," he pushed his companion away. Turning a cold shoulder to the offered pout he set his jaw. "I have work to do, you know. Minor deities and demons to contact. The work doesn't do itself. If I want that disgusting little tripe of a brother dead then I need to get in gear." Looking back at his display of mirrors, pools, and monitors he frowned. "I just wish I could find where that little bastard hid." He slammed a fist into one monitor letting its screen shatter around his hand. For a Child of Water, he was reaching an extremely dangerous level of violence. Soon he would be beyond any control.

From his position on the floor, Ryo maintained his pout. "Just don't underestimate them again. You know what happens if you do." His head reeled as Osamu backhanded him, leaving his right cheek stinging.

"Haven't I already said I won't make any more mistakes?! I won't underestimate Ken again. You know I won't," the words dripped with poison, ice. 

"Don't forget about Daisuke," the Child of Earth spoke up. "I know you think he's worthless, but let me remind you that we wouldn't have been paid so much to bring him in if he was of no value. There's a reason for everything, Osamu. I would think that of anything else your experience might have taught you that would be it." Challenge gleamed in his eyes and his trigger finger was itching for a reason to go.

"Are you questioning me, Ryo?" He took a step forward. "Perhaps I should have let my brother gut you, or maybe let his new playmate shoot you full of holes." Grabbing the Child of Earth's shining face he hissed, "Or maybe I should just do it myself." A low roar filled the room- the sound of swirling waves.

Kicking at his captor, Ryo called his own power. A rumble overpowered the sound of water making the very walls shake. Things between them always began this way. "You know we cannot survive without one another, Osamu. Earth and Water- we _need_ each other. We _thrive_ with each other."

Ryo's words were cut off when Osamu grabbed his shoulders and ran him into the wall. Vertebrae cracked with the force of impact. "Is that so, Ryo? We thrive together?" The Child of Water pressed his opponent against the wall harder.

"Osamu..." The name was whispered.

"Yes, Ryo?" Two twilight eyebrows rose.

"Shut up and fuck me."

Lost in each other they never noticed the flare of power the blossomed across all of the screens. Kissing and clawing at one another they fell together in the most primal of dances. Passion thickened the air as the light expanded and then vanished as if it had never existed in the first place.

***

Though he heard no noise, Daisuke's head snapped up. Someone was in the room with him. He knew that much. Standing in front of the window, he had been observing the full moon as it shone over the city. Silver light streamed in, flowing around his own bronze glow. The colors fit so well together. Their power offset and combined in a glittering pattern. Just like…

"Hello, Ken," Dai whispered. "What do you want?"

Swallowing around the nervousness he felt collecting in his throat, the sidhe stepped forward. Never, in all his years of life had Ken had to face anything like this. "I need to talk to you, Daisuke. It's important."

Spinning around, he glared at the Child of Air with narrowed cinnamon eyes. Thinking he would be rebellious he decided to test Ken's limits. In a maneuver born of defiant nature he stepped forward leaving little space to separate him from the luminous figure before him. _So beautiful..._ He could barely stifle a gasp as electricity swelled between them. "About what?"

Feelings he never thought possible coursed through him. Trembling against an immense surge of desire he swept one shining hand through the scant amount of space between he and Daisuke. "This. Whatever this is that exists between us. I can't… I mean, I don't…" For some reason his hands, normally so graceful, would not stop shaking. When Daisuke took them in his own he sighed at the connection. "I don't understand," Ken whispered.

Emotions were running rampant through Daisuke's mind- both Ken's and his own. They leaned closer to one another, foreheads brushing. Every time they touched it felt as if the night around them was sighing, gasping. "I don't know either," he finally replied. Deciding to be extremely bold he took a breath. "But I'd like to help you find out what it is." He looked up into glowing violet eyes. "I would do anything for you, Ken, if you'd let me," Dai whispered. "Please, let me…"

Falling into eyes of fire and spice, Ken felt his head tilting. Magnetism on every level sang along his nerves. Every sensation made the force between them flare. Shaking so much he could barely stand, Ken whispered, "Yes…"

When their lips met the power between them bloomed, then exploded in a wave that crashed over Tokyo.

…Mimi sat bolt upright in the bed she had been sleeping in. Thoughts of Sora filling her dreams, she felt a deep longing to return to her love…

…Gennai merely looked up from his book, the tea on the table beside him suddenly forgotten. He smiled to himself on a job well done…

…Lovers all over Tokyo came together in such a way that could only be described as genuine magic. Taichi and Yamato held each other tightly, Jyou and Koushiro smiled as they slept, Miyako and Hikari wound themselves around each other- all as Daisuke and Ken deepened their kiss, letting the last shreds of pretense fall away…

…And in the darkness, the demons waited…

**__**

to be continued

***

all right, I know the chapters keep getting shorter, and I know this one took forever & it isn't very good… but I'm trying, really I am… more soon, I promise! 


	4. 4

Notes: first, let me issue an apology for the last chapter. While it ended on a great note, it was extremely short. I'll try to make up for that with this one. We'll just have to see how it goes. If this turns out to be overly sappy, blame it all on Norah Jones. The CD is awesome- if you haven't heard it. So, should this take a turn for the WAFFy side of life… my apologies.

Also- to everyone who's reviewed up to this point: you rock my world! Thanks muchly and all that sort of stuff. Hugs all around for that…

__

Shinwa- chapter 4

Morning found Ken and Daisuke tangled together amidst the sheets of the guest bed in Dai's room. The darker of the two men lay curled up with blankets wrapped around his midsection- the only barrier aside from clothing between him and the pale man who slept atop the sheets. They had tried to keep at least that much between them, deciding that it was impolite to consummate their "relationship" in the home of another. Despite the fact that their host had predicted the inevitable pairing. 

Sunlight just peeking over the horizon lightened the room with a pale golden blue glow. Blinking, then squinting against the soft light Ken shifted from his position to look at the man that lay beside him. Face dormant in slumber, he looked so vulnerable with a gentle smile gracing his lips. That sight alone was enough to lift the warrior's spirits. He was still amazed at how electric, how wonderful everything had been. In the depth of night it had all felt so exciting and achingly passionate. Marveling at the sensations tucked in his memory, Ken let his eyes pass over his bedmate's face once more before rising. 

Stretching as he looked out towards the city beyond, Ken began his customary morning routine. Simple exercises that helped maintain focus and balance and basic sword work. He would most likely have to retire to Gennai's own training room to work with his blade, but that was the price he had to pay to keep Daisuke safe. Balancing on the balls of his feet, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes picturing his field of energy that surrounded him at all times. Some would call it his aura, but to Ken it was his shield. The barrier he kept firmly in place to keep the rest of the world at bay. It was normally solid in its construction. Flares of red and orange spiked with yellow and black would ignite the air around him. The colors of strength, rage, protection, and absorption of negative energy. Normally they would keep others out and allow Ken to retreat into the air he held within to remain safe. Normally. 

Once he had closed his eyes, the fey expected to see the natural barrier protecting him. The balance he kept so well under other circumstances faltered causing him to stumble. There were holes in his energy field. Enormous holes- the kind that would allow his brother to find him. The kind that would prevent him from keeping his precious Daisuke safe. Holes that would allow even darker things that his brother to find him… Violet eyes flying open, Ken struggled to breathe. No. This was not possible. This simply could not be happening. Why? Now that he had finally found someone, a lover, that he could trust and cherish, why did everything have to fall apart? Just as he was starting to feel again.

Remembering the warnings, all the predictions, every threat, Ken let his head fall. Everything they had warned him of, it was already happening. He bit his lip to keep in a quiet sob. Looking at the beautiful figure sleeping on the bed he knew he had only one choice. Hopefully Daisuke would understand.

***

Cinnamon eyes flickered open to see golden light pouring through the room. It gleamed off the surfaces of the bureau, the windchimes that hung from the ceiling, the doorknobs, the handles on the drawers- everything glittered in the morning sunlight. Daisuke felt a quiet sense of awe filling him at the simple beauty of it all. Scratching his head he looked around the room. He had already figured that Ken would have awoken and gone to do whatever it was he did in the mornings. The events of the previous night probably needed to be processed by the pale warrior before they could discuss the next step. However, as he looked around the room Dai felt something was wrong. Something was missing. That presence…

Leaping out of bed he ran to the kitchen area looking frantically. Mimi sat at the table, eyes wide and blinking at the sight of a bed rumpled Daisuke. No sign of Ken. Moving from room to room he continued to search. By the time he reached the small shop he knew the answer. Tears filled his eyes as he approached Gennai at the front desk. "Ken's gone," he whispered. 

The kitsune looked up sharply from his accounting books. "Nonsense," he muttered. "Surely I would've felt his departure. He couldn't have…" But as he mentally filtered through the contents of his home he found it was true. Immediately silencing he turned to look at Daisuke who stood before him, eyes glittering and too bright as he bit his trembling lower lip.

"Why would he leave, Gennai? Where did he go? Did he say anything to you?" Strong hands gripped the old man's shoulders nearly shaking him out of his seat. "Why would he leave? Why?! Dammit you've got to know something, so start talking. Where the fuck is Ken?" Dai's voice rose to a frantic pitch but his words were cut off as Mimi approached and pulled him off of the kitsune. 

Trying to soothe the heartbroken man's pain, Mimi shushed him as he fought off tears. "I'm sure he just went to go get something. He'll come back-"

"No, Mimi," Daisuke cut her off and shook his head. "He's gone. I can feel it. Before, when he was near, I could hear his thoughts and feel his heartbeat in my chest. But that's all gone. He left, Mimi." Coughing and burying his face in his hands he let out a low moan. "I guess I really was too much for him. He left me…"

The old man stood up from his stool. "No, Daisuke-san. If Ken has left then I'm sure there is a valid reason for it. He would not simply vanish with no explanation. Perhaps if she's feeling up to it, your friend Mimi could look in your room for clues or quite possibly search for him. But," he paused and gave a tiny smile, "that's if she's feeling up to it."

Indecision cut the light haired woman in two. "I don't know," she said softly. "It's been so long since the last time I did anything like this. I don't know if I can anymore. I'm sorry, Daisuke. But please, give me some time to decide."

Two red rimmed eyes stared at Mimi. Though he had met several new people in such a short space of time, and then even fallen into a serious infatuation with one, Daisuke was rapidly losing patience with being polite. "All right, Mimi. You want some time? You've had plenty of goddamn time to sort all this shit out, okay? You've been gone for how long? Running from who you are and what you are. Instead of spending that time coming to terms with things you've only buried yourself deeper in doubt. Quite frankly, I don't fucking care how much it scares you. I've got demons and a couple half-crazed fey after me because there's a bounty on my head for some unknown fucking reason. So, do me a favor? Save your pity case for someone else. Right now I want to find Ken, and you are the only one who can help me. I've learned how to do some pretty freaky shit in the past forty-eight hours. Care to test my knowledge?" When she shook her head he gave a thin smile. "Good. Now fucking suck it up because I'm giving you five minutes to prepare. Shit- I'll even help you out. But you're going to do this because if you don't face it now, you never will. Understood?" 

All Mimi could do was nod. This sudden change in Daisuke's demeanor was so strange she would never dare to say no. "I'll need some things from the shop," she looked up at Gennai.

"Take whatever you need, my dear," he replied softly. After Mimi stood and managed to walk over to the shelves the kitsune glanced at Daisuke who had also risen. "May I ask what brought on this sudden need to find Ken?"

As he set his jaw and thought through all the reasons, the bronze man shook his head. "There's only one reason that I'm going to give you. And that's because he's mine. He and I belong together; even he knows that now. Whether that scared him or not is okay, but I want to find him… just to know that he's safe. That his brother hasn't come after him. That Ryo hasn't shown up again…" Words dropping away his gaze fell to the floor.

"To know that you haven't driven him away or hurt him." Gennai saw Daisuke nod and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you will find him. Ken knows what it means for the two of you to be with one another. He knows that even he cannot outrun fate. Though, the gods know that he may try." With a wry smile Gennai ushered Dai back towards the apartment. "Come on now, we must help out Miss Mimi so that we can find our wandering sidhe."

Lost in guilt, Daisuke merely followed to wherever he was lead hoping against all hope that it would lead him back to Ken.

***

Her room lay in chaos. All the things normally kept with such care heaped around her having been thrown in a fit of desperation. Chestnut eyes closed to the world she tried to keep taking deep breaths to tune out the pain she could feel building inside. The others had to have figured things out by now. She could feel soft touches against her mind. Whispers of comfort trying to coax her from her hiding place. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

There was a hesitant knock on the door. "Sora?" It was Hikari. "Do you need anything? Tea, or maybe a hug?"

She gave a watery laugh and stood. Crossing the room she kept the smile on her face and threw open the door. "You know as well as I do that I can't hug anybody, 'Kari. I appreciate the thought though." When Sora took a breath she could feel her lungs hitching, wanting to let go again, to cry herself into oblivion. "I'm sorry I just ran up here and hid. I'll come down and let you know what I saw now." Running two very shaky hands through her short auburn hair, she gave another sad smile and stepped out of the room. As she followed the shorter woman down the stairs she bit her lip, desperate to keep all of her feelings inside. Though she knew Taichi and Yamato would most likely pick up on anything she felt anyway, she still wanted to keep some of it locked away. They really had no idea how much she still hurt inside.

The solemn group looked up when the pair of women entered the room. Jyou and Koushiro sat hands perched over books, eyes wide at the site of their very disheveled friend. Miyako and Iori were equally wide eyed- for the space of a few seconds. Then the maroon haired woman regained her cool and moved towards 'Kari in a naturally protective way. Takeru sat on the floor sparing quick glances every few moments. It seemed he was embarrassed on Sora's behalf. Lastly, Yamato and Taichi sat curled together on a chair, eyes full of matching sympathy.

"Hello everyone," Sora's voice was rough from crying. "Sorry about that just now. But, it was…" She had to stop. Though they knew what she was trying to say, certainly, the group stared in wonder and anticipation. "I found our missing duo. They were staying in a hotel not too far away, but they… ran into someone. She… was going to help them. I think. I don't really know." Her words faltered and she bit her lip. No name was spoken. She still could not say it without immense difficulty. Even after all this time. Having spoken it earlier nearly wrenched her in two.

"Then it's true," Yamato whispered across the room. "They found Mimi."

At the name of her beloved alone, Sora felt her eyes burn and squeeze closed as she nodded. "Yes," her voice was thick. "They found her." Silence expanded throughout the room in the space of a few heartbeats. "They found Mimi."

The air seemed to gasp. In all the time that had passed, no one had previously been able to find Sora's absent girlfriend. The rest of the group watched her in awe. Finally, Koushiro stepped forward. 

"Are you okay?" Obsidian eyes shone with concern. "I mean, is there anything we can…" His words dropped away as she shook a head full of auburn hair.

"No, I'm not okay. It's not going to be okay until I can see her again, talk to her, ask her why she left. But, until then we've got other things to worry about." Pulling herself together mentally, Sora stepped forward to look at the books on the table. "It's not like I want to be this hurt, guys," she said, absently skimming through the titles. "And when we reach Ken and Daisuke, I'll finally be able to talk to her. Right now we've got to focus on…" She stopped again.

On the floor Takeru shuddered. "Did anyone else just feel that?"

Iori nodded, face grim. "There was a cold rush of air. Then this… pain. Almost like something burning? But that wouldn't make sense." His green eyes clouded as he tried to focus on the source of whatever it was they could feel.

In the corner Tai let out a pitiful wail before clutching at his chest. Instantly alert, Yamato tried to steady his boyfriend. "Tai," he cried. "Talk to me. What is it? Are you okay? Tai-chan?"

Through his pain the brunette gasped. "It's Daisuke and Ken. It's them. They're doing it. Oh OW!" He howled in pain caught between wanting to clutch his head or his chest. "Fuck this hurts like you wouldn't believe." Rocking back and forth in the comfort of the blond's arms Tai felt his breath going ragged. "Shit, they must be bound some way for this kind of thing to happen… OW!" Brown eyes squinted closed again trying to force the emotions away.

Across the room, Sora stood feeling the same pain Taichi felt. However, after feeling Mimi's presence she only let out a soft gasp as another tear fell from her eyes. "They separated," she whispered.

Jyou looked up sharply. "What? Why would they do that? Don't they know how dangerous that is for them? I mean, forget anything else involving a connection between them. But Daisuke's still got demons after him!"

In the midst of the confusion, Koushiro whirled around the room. "How could this happen? Despite the fact that we were able to find them, how can we be feeling what they are? It shouldn't be possible given the parameters of our own powers in conjunction with the hesitancy they approached each other with. This is an impossibility…" His words cut off as Jyou stood and wrapped an arm around the redhead's shoulders.

"Kou-chan," he said quietly, "I love you. You know that. But breathe, and focus. You're not doing any help by trying to figure out the mathematical implications of Daisuke and Ken's emotions." When his lover nodded he placed a quick kiss on the crown of his head.

Hikari knelt beside Takeru. "You alright? I know this is overwhelming. Even I can feel their pain." Cherry eyes scanned the drawn face for any signs of instability.

"All you can do is feel it?" The blond let out a very shaky laugh. "Goddess," he muttered, "it feels like it's going to eat me alive. But I did pull something from it. Ken is the one who left. Right now that's all I can tell you. Maybe once this stops, or I get used to it I'll be able to tell you more. I don't know why Yama isn't reeling from this."

'Kari looked up at the telepath in question and frowned. "Yamato?"

Sapphire eyes shifted towards his love's sibling. "They're only letting emotions go, not thoughts. I've caught a few strays, but they aren't laced with what everyone else seems to be feeling." He ran a soothing hand down Taichi's back. 

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the outpouring of emotions ceased. Relief flooded the room with a deafening peace.

Shaking his head half in disbelief and half in utter shock, Takeru felt things filtering through his mind and falling into place. As he thought his head tilted to one side. "Last night," he began hesitantly, "did any of you feel something? Almost a wave like this one, only a whole lot nicer?" At the general sounds of affirmation he continued. "That was also them. I guess they…" He sat up blinking suddenly. "Oh my," he said quietly.

A soft laugh came from the vicinity of Yamato's shoulder where Taichi was trying to recuperate. "That's all you can say? 'Oh my'. It's a hell of a lot more than that, sweetie! Hmmm… damn…" He wound his arms around Yamato's neck and began to place a few sloppy kisses against the golden skin. "Looks to me like they got it on. About damn time too! Ken needed to get laid in the worst way." Chuckling to himself, Tai kept nuzzling at his lover with obviously positive results to anyone watching.

Clearing his throat, Iori raised a reprimanding eyebrow at the couple. "You know, sometimes I think Sora's rule wasn't simply for Ken's benefit." Somewhere behind him another blond snickered.

Hikari sighed and shook her head. She tried to remember what had happened the night before, but came up blank. 

"Something did happen," Sora spoke softly. "But I can't seem to remember what exactly. I know I dreamt of Mimi. I usually do, but this was different." Chin in hand she thought for a moment. "You know, Taichi, I think you're wrong. They didn't sleep together. They couldn't have or Ken wouldn't be so worried about what's happening." A roomful of blank stares greeted her. "He told me once that if he ever got close with anyone like that it could be… bad."

Miyako snorted from her place on the floor beside her girlfriend. When she was elbowed in the ribs she cried, "What? It's like something on TV. Don't tell me he'd lose his soul, because then I think he would have rights to sue somebody. Hey, stop hitting me!" She barely dodged a gentle slap from Hikari.

Sora shook her head. "No, it wasn't like that. It was like he feared some sort of loss but not one like that. Not a loss of anything inside of him. The loss of his lover maybe? I don't know." Auburn hair shook through the air again.

Walking to the table covered with books, Koushiro felt his eyebrows draw together in concentration. As he flipped through pages in various books simultaneously without lifting a hand, he looked up sharply at a pair of sapphire eyes. "Don't do that Yamato. I'll tell you in a minute, but when you try and pry I lose my concentration. Please allow me to remain focused for a few seconds more, okay?" Giving a thin smile he resumed his searching. "Ha! Found it," he crowed after almost ten minutes had passed. Holding up one of the books he announced proudly, "Read it and weep. Any fey part of an Elemental Circle cannot be in close contact with another of the group in any sexual way. If they are it results in extreme corruption mind, soul, and abilities alike." As he continued to read the words slowed.

"Oh son of a bitch," Yamato hissed. "You've got to be fucking kidding me! Daisuke can't be another fey. He just can't be!"

"Aw, Yama baby are you worried I might get sidhe struck by him? Afraid I might try to screw his brains out or something?" Tai squawked then sighed as he was kissed very thoroughly. When the couple broke apart he sighed dreamily. "Nevermind."

As he tried not to laugh, Takeru spoke up. "Oni-san's right though. Daisuke can't be one of the fey. We would've noticed something like that. Not to mention that he would've noticed. In a big bad way. I mean he would have had to gained some power by now, right?"

Flipping through more pages the redhead sighed. "One would think," he muttered. "But maybe they were locked up. I'm not certain. But did anyone else notice the subtle glow of his skin? That's a trait commonly exhibited by all fey. But then, why would demons be after him? If he wasn't aware of his powers it wouldn't make…"

As the telekinetic fell into a frenzy of thought, Jyou stood and put his hands on his beloved's shoulders. "Breathe, Kou-chan before you start to hyperventilate. Besides, worrying is my job, not yours."

"I'm not worried," the redhead gasped out. "I'm just thinking."

Blue eyes rolled. "Whatever you say."

As the couples pushed at one another good naturedly, the youngest stood observing. "Interesting," he noted. "It's almost as if the feelings put out from last night are coming back. But that would only happen if they were together once again, wouldn't it? Interesting." While he pondered, the blond on the floor watched him with studied amusement. 

"You think of something, Iori?" Takeru felt his eyes sparkle as he spoke the name. None of the others knew yet, but it was getting harder to hide from them.

"Just that Ken and Daisuke would have to be back together in order for this kind of result," gesturing to the conclave of love in the room he heard a soft chuckle from the blond.

"Here's hoping, right?" Aqua eyes swirled into thought. "Unless someone were covering the pain, masking it with a spell." Takeru stood and looked at the younger man. "That's possible, isn't it?"

Nodding slowly, the Pagan spoke in very measured tones. "I hate to say it, Take-chan. But, you're right. It is possible."

***

Inside the kitsune's apartment, Gennai and Mimi stood over the small dish filled with herbs, watching as it blazed first red, then pink and finally faded to a soft lilac. For all of his experience, the old man seemed just as mystified as the young woman.

"Whoa, that's pretty cool looking," Daisuke commented as he sat up from where he had fallen to the floor. In order to find Ken, he had been instructed to focus on the Ken he knew. The man he had slept beside and held the previous night. It had been a harrowing experience that unleashed so many stray emotions that it was a wonder the other two in the room were still standing. After feeling the complete ache of Dai's loss, Gennai and Mimi had put up the barrier that presently burned with it's mystifying flame.

"Why that color though? Lilac is usually symbolic of death, isn't it?" Walking around the small fire, Mimi narrowed her eyes in thought.

"In dreams, yes. Lilac is the color of death. A color associated with the fey too, much like the moon is their goddess, the flowers are like their shelter," Gennai's voice sounded from somewhere beyond her line of sight.

"I like that color," Daisuke added his two cents in. "It's like the streaks in Ken's eyes. When he gets really worked up about anything they glow that color- iced lilac." He bit his lip as it started to tremble, then clutched at his head. "Fuck! I don't understand this! I just met him, I don't even know him- so why am I feeling like this? I don't care if it's some kind of bond or some bullshit like that. This isn't normal and I just want… I want… I want him back," he whispered. Liquid cinnamon eyes shot up as a hand touched his shoulder.

"We'll find him, Daisuke," Mimi said gently. "I'll do my best. I promise."

"You better," he gave a weak smile. 

"I need to be alone to do this though, I'm sorry. Other people tend to distract me when I try to focus. It gets difficult. But don't worry. If you hear stuff breaking in here just come charging in. In the long run it's better if I get pulled back by force rather than stuck in limbo." With that, the light haired woman ushered the two men out, shutting the door on their protests. Quick fingers traced a rune over the wood of the door. Protection, to keep her and them safe from her power.

Returning to the center of the room she sat, facing the window hands open and palms up on her knees. Breathing deep she concentrated on the Ken she knew, the so mysterious boy from memory. Twilight hair, shielded violet eyes- she knew nothing of the streaks Daisuke spoke of. How could he have seen them? Gleaming silver of a sword hidden along his spine or tucked into the folds of baggy pants, but more frequently at his back. Quick, sure movements that made him unique yet kept him hidden. The stern face that she had seen break only for Daisuke. What was it about that fiery young man that attracted Ken so? _Ken, Ken, where are you Ken?_ Her mind called out. Flickering eyelids closed she felt her body letting go and suddenly she was lighter than air. A crystalline figure of pure light. 

It had been so long since the last time Mimi had been in her astral form that she had nearly forgotten what it felt like. To be so free and light as the wind, to be able to fly on the clouds and walk upon the surface of the ocean… Taking a moment to get reacquainted with the sensation, she began to focus her energy on Ken. The power in him that he held so tightly and kept so hidden. Pushing up on invisible feet, Mimi soared out through the rooftop and hovered above the city. Sunlight streaming across the glass of office buildings glittered in the early day. Beyond the line of the city, darting lights of the ocean caught her eyes. Ears perked she listened to sound of the wind as it ripped past. Astral form unable to feel she would never grow cold floating in this place, but, alas, she had work to do. 

Mind flashing through a few quick calculations she estimated as to how far Ken could have gotten on foot and began there. In a flashing moment she was perched on the rooftop of a shrine studying the wandering crowd. She watched each person's astral imprint as it flickered in the air. No sign of Ken. Another flashing moment brought her to a butcher shop. Astral lights passing by such tough scrutiny, Mimi still came up short. Ken still alluded her. Jumping one final time she landed on a sidewalk in front of a library. A whisper made her ears perk. In the astral plane, only the sounds of nature should catch her ears, unless she took on a body. No one should have been able to whisper across this plane of existence. Unless it were another traveler. The sound was coming from the library.

Astral form picking up speed she flew up the steps, past the desk with no trace of air current at her passing. In the recesses of the library she caught the sound again, barely touching her ears. A whisper so soft she nearly missed it. Racing through the stacks she found the light beginning to dwindle, even on the astral plane. Stopping for a moment, Mimi perked her ears again. The sound was right behind her. Spinning she found herself nose to nose with a shadow demon. Before she could leave it held up a hand, indicating she should listen.

At the most the creature could only hiss. Vague gestures began to relate that the demon knew where Ken was. The pale warrior was "resting" with some of the demon's compatriots. For a price this one would set him free. For a price. Because with demons, there was always a price. Mimi shook her head at the monster. No deal. She could set Ken free on her own. She knew she could. Giving the demon a wicked smile she jumped and found Ken's form. Without a glance around she dove in, finding that his mind was entirely chaotic.

The walls of Ken's mind echoed with pain so old it was numbing. In the depth of it, lay a shimmering light. As she approached the glowing object, Mimi found she was looking at changing images of Daisuke. The only light Ken could find in all of his darkness- Daisuke, the one who he loved beyond measure. Calling out to Ken again, she saw the fabric of Ken's mind twist, finally forming a rough outline of Ken himself. Bowing to him, Mimi noticed that he appeared ragged, confused.

"Ken I need to know where you are," she said quietly. "We want to come and help you, but we can't do that if we don't know where you are. Tell me, Ken…"

The figure waved a hand at her before coming into sharp focus. Something seemed off- though the image of Ken clear, it was still off balance. "No need, Mimi," his voice was subdued. "They'll take care of me. No fear, no pain… I had almost forgotten what it was like to be with them." Head tilted; he gave a crooked smile. "You know, I know how to cut you loose of your body. Maybe I should do that right now. They're telling me I should-"

"Ken, no! Listen to me!" If she was cut loose, Mimi knew that she would never again open her eyes in the physical plane. Astral form cut free from the body left her trapped in that plane and her body became an empty vessel that could be filled by anything. "Ken don't! You don't want to cut me loose. Just tell me where you are."

Smiling still, the pale man shook his head and drew his blade. "No. I think not, Mimi. I think that I should cut you where you stand." Drawing back, preparing to strike he gave another bone chilling smile.

"No, Ken! Daisuke needs you! He's been going crazy trying to find you. Daisuke needs you to come back, Ken. You have to protect him, to keep him safe." It was a desperate attempt, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

At the mention of the other man's name the image of Ken faltered. Light seeped through his form. "Daisuke," he whispered turning a ghostly face to the shining images. "My Daisuke…" He shook his head, as if waking from a trance and no doubt that he was. Violet eyes darting up he looked frantic. "Mimi! I won't have much time. They caught me. The shield I always kept, my protection it was weakened… I'm not sure how." An obvious lie, but there was no time to pry. "Listen to me…"

And the image began to fade from light to dark like static. Ken's words flickered as if on bad transmission. Trying to focus even more, Mimi pointed to the shining images once more watching as the darker version of Ken followed her hand.

"Their nest isn't here… not in the library… the Gaki… Jishin-Mushi… I can't get out… tell Daisuke I'll see him soon…" Ken faded in and out of bad reception- light to dark and back again, finally settling on the more sinister side. The side that had obviously been brought up in the demons' tender care. Nurtured to love the sight and smell of blood as surely as anything else. The darker Ken raised his sword. "Now where were we?"

"Nowhere," Mimi replied closing astral eyes and jumping through space. Physical eyes opened as she gasped for air back in the apartment. The return trip had been so sudden. It felt as if she had been soaring at one thousand miles an hour and crashed head on into a brick wall. Slumping forward she coughed and fought for breath. Gaining purchase she saw a pair of feet appear at the corner of her vision.

"I take it your journey was successful then," Gennai spoke so calmly, but there was a subtle tremor to his voice. The old man had been worried. Traveling was a practice that had long been outdated. Not simply because people grew out of the habit, but because the ramifications could be dangerous. Everything on the astral plane echoed back into reality one way or another.

"Don't worry," Mimi wheezed, "I didn't touch anything." Laughing a little she added, "I had forgotten how beautiful it was though. But, I found Ken. He's been taken again. We need to talk to Daisuke and find out what's going on and what happened between him and Ken."

"Nothing really happened," a smooth voice came from the doorway- unquestionably Daisuke. "I mean, it was just… we kissed and it was so," his voice faded away as the previous night's bliss coursed along his nerves again. "Like we fit together. We belong together, Ken and I. Even he noticed that much. What I don't understand is why he left." He strode across the room and offered a hand to the young woman on the floor.

Coughing again, Mimi stood on shaky legs. "He said his shield was weakened. He wasn't sure how, but it was."

Behind his younger counterparts, the kitsune could not stifle his gasp. No, if Ken had lost his protection… "No wonder they found him so easily," he whispered. But how could the barrier have broken? Even if in contact with another fey of his Elemental Circle, which Daisuke could not possibly be, it was a rare event that his spirit would be corrupted. The legends had told of the hideous changes that could befall the sidhe if they let themselves go. True enough, Gennai had seen what had happened to some who became lost in the demonic promises of lust. Yet, even they could be saved. And it was not a simple curse of any sort- it was demon's work. Weary eyes filled with tears that he had not experienced in decades. The kitsune wept in fear, in pity, in hope that he could give Ken strength and find him. Despite his mixed emotions, Gennai voiced his concerns, "We may be too late."

Cinnamon eyes blazed- highlights of copper and bronze flashing. "Never. We'll find him and we'll help him."

"No, young one, you do not understand the ways of the demon. Their nature… it is so different," Gennai began to shuffle towards the door. Only to find the well-built body of a soccer star and country sweetheart blocking his way.

"Then make me understand, Gennai." Eyes narrowed he bent down to lock gazes with the kitsune. "Make me understand, old man. I don't like to threaten people, but I will if I have to. You know something. Now cough it up." A fine rage was growing in Daisuke's chest, spilling into his voice. Without his conscious choice the air grew warm.

Mimi noticed the change in temperature and felt her eyes go wide. "You might want to do what he says, Gennai. I'm no stranger to demon politics, but even I don't want to have an angry Daisuke to deal with."

Nodding slowly, resigning himself to the fact that he had to reveal certain secrets, the elderly man shuffled past Daisuke. "This way," he called, motioning with one bony hand for his guests to follow.

Anger under control, Dai spared a glance at Mimi. "Demon politics?" His voice held his obvious disbelief. Demons would never have political structure. They were supposed to fight dirty.

"You'd be surprised at how many rules there are when dealing with demons, Dai," she answered. "They're ridiculous when it comes to tradition. Like the yakuza- only worse. And if you step on any toes it's good night to you and everyone you know." She ruffled his wine colored hair as she passed by. "Come on, Daisuke. It's time for a crash course in demon etiquette."

Making a face for a moment, the young man heaved a sigh and followed. At the doorway he turned, feeling the cold press of eyes watching him. Scanning the room he found no threat present and continued on his way.

In the corner, where no sunlight touched the tiny space, two sets of eyes glittered. Dark promises and wicked laughter twinkling in their midst.

***

"You mean their afterglow was just bouncing around last night?" Taichi's eyes grew wide. "Well god _damn_! No wonder I felt so good when I woke up this morning. This stuff's like wondergasm. Shit, we should find a way to bottle it and sell it!"

"No, Taichi," everyone chorused. 

"Fine," he pouted. "But we could make millions."

Closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, the youngest began to speak again. "No, Taichi," he said again. "However, since we know they separated we can also assume that someone is helping one of them, if not both, to block against all the pain they feel from being apart." Gesturing to Koushiro who sat nearby he continued. "I know Koushiro has found that passage about Elemental Groups and the fey, but we have to remember, Daisuke isn't one of them. Obviously, he's something. But it isn't fey. That trick he did with his voice is not a trait exhibited by any sidhe creature in any texts. Only someone of great power can change nature in such a way, or can feel psychic attacks in the manner Daisuke seems to, or would be able to tame someone of Ken's strength. Whatever he is, I think his power is becoming like a beacon without Ken there to guide and protect him."

"And without Ken," Takeru finished, "he's got no way to defend himself. I mean, he said himself that he's new to all of this, but I think he knows more than he realizes. But that doesn't matter as long as he's feeling like this. Without Ken, he's helpless against magic of any caliber. There's got to be something we can do!"

The telekinetic of the group had been pondering for some time. Given the overall odd circumstance of Ken and Daisuke's meeting, plus their given attributes and natural draw to one another, in combination with the power exuded from their union and subsequent breakup, factoring in Daisuke's own brand of power with Ken's lineage and natural sidhe magic… In summation it led Koushiro to only one conclusion. Obsidian eyes blinking rapidly he reached for a book close by. As he flipped pages he became aware of the stares he had drawn. Holding up one slender finger he silently pleaded for a minute to prove his theory.

Knowing his love only too well, Jyou spoke up. "You figured out what he is didn't you? You figured out what Daisuke is! Please tell me it's not some strange and rare thing that we've never encountered before." Eyebrows furrowed in a worried plea, he constantly toyed with his glasses out of habit.

Raising his eyes from his reading, Koushiro only shook his head slowly. "I wish I could tell you that, Jyou-chan. But it seems Daisuke is something that none of us expected."

Settling dramatically with chin in hand, the pyrokinetic eyed his boyfriend. "Couldn't you have just lied to me?"

As he tried to radiate an apology to his love, the redhead turned to their friends. "Guys, I don't really know how to put this, but Daisuke's an Adept."

Amidst the general confusion Miyako rolled her amber eyes. "So? He's an adept? That's it? We've dealt with those before! Really, Koushiro you had us all worried over this one-"

"No, Miyako. I mean he's an Adept," he cut her off. He hoped his voice held the capitalization in its context. "He's not like the ones you've seen before."

"You mean those kids who carried daggers and waved them around before creating all that mad crazy lightning?" Tai leaned against his blond boyfriend. "What the hell's the difference?"

"This is different, Taichi," Hikari spoke up. Having recently studied the old forms of magic, the word had sounded familiar to her, though she could not exactly pinpoint why.

"He's like one of the Originals," Koushiro explained. "For those of you who actually went to class," he glared at Tai and Yamato, "you would know what the Originals were."

Aqua eyes twinkled as he remembered, and Takeru beamed. "Oh yeah! They could control the elements- I mean anything and everything. The weather, the earth, the oceans… One by one they all went into hiding and everyone thought they had died until that guy… what's his name… in, like, 1352 caused a whole bunch of problems with the forests and everything. There was one last big blast after that and no one's heard from them since… I remember now, they were revered by even the oldest creatures…" His voice slowed. "Because they were thought of…"

"As gods," Koushiro finished for the blond. A hush settled over the room. Each member of the close group of friends thought over the implications of what it could mean.

"Well," Miyako said dryly, "that would explain his celebrity as a soccer star. People are drawn to those of power."

"No," Koushiro shot her down. "That kind of thing is a skill on its own. Daisuke needed no help from the elements for that."

"It was a good thought, Miya-chan," 'Kari comforted the Pagan. "But we've got to think bigger picture."

"Obviously that's how he made the room go cold yesterday," Iori commented softly using his prime example. "It seemed as though he was familiar with that technique."

Picking up on the green eyed young man's thought process, Takeru added, "Could it be possible that he had caused accidents when he was younger? Either weather related or elementally so? But still, how could he not notice something like this?"

His brother answered him. "If the power lay dormant inside of him long enough he would've missed it very easily."

"Exactly, Yamato," Koushiro confirmed the elder blond's statement. "If you think about it in context, it does make sense. Apparently, Daisuke needed someone or something of substantial power to kick start his own abilities,"

"That's where Ken comes in," Sora said in wonder. "That's why they're so drawn to one another." Pausing in thought she shook her head. "That's only on a basic level though. There is another bond between them, regardless of complimentary abilities."

Taichi snickered at the comment. "Well, I hate to sound ultra cheesy, but isn't that like the bond between Yama and I? Or the bond between Kou and Jyou, 'Kari and Miya, you and… Mimi?" Voice lowering he bit his lip. "Sorry," he whispered as he saw his friend wince. There was a brief flash of pain behind his eyes- the reflection of Sora's amplified emotions. Trying to lighten the mood he added, "Or the bond between Takeru and Iori?"

The last two young men mentioned blushed simultaneously generating a few catcalls among the friends.

"Seriously though guys," the redhead coughed, barely masking laughter, "the kind of raw energy we're dealing with here could be staggering. The potential is there for Daisuke to be able to create entire worlds if he's as strong as I think he is."

"Given that he could survive whatever it was he and Ken encountered in that back room, I'd say he's pretty damn strong," Yamato's voice was cool. "Did we ever figure out what that was?"

The telekinetic shook his head. "I have some theories though…"

Everyone groaned. More theorizing could lead to hours of discussion and debate, and there were things that needed to get done first.

***

Once Mimi had related her experience in its entirety over to Daisuke and Gennai she had casually sipped at her tea, watching as Dai fought with himself. He was willing his emotions away to keep from breaking down. "I'm sorry, Daisuke," she said quietly. "If I could've gotten him out I would have. But he was threatening to cut my line. Even if I'd saved him then we would've been stuck in that plane, or trapped in Ken's mind."

Giving a weak smile, cinnamon eyes sparking with raw hurt he patted her shoulder. "It's okay, Mimi. You tried your best, just like you promised you would. Really, I couldn't ask for anything more. Knowing he's all right for now is helping. Not a whole hell of a lot, but it's helping." He glanced over at the flame still burning in the small dish. The barrier that kept him from blasting his pain out into the world. It still glowed pale lilac. The light it cast painted nearby objects with an almost moon-like glow.

Gennai cleared his throat to get their attention. "While Ken is safe for now, we do not know how much longer that will last. The demons he was originally sold to were notorious, even among their world. Blood thirsty, brutal and they harbored a quite severe hatred for humanity. From the time they got their hands on him they passed these traits on to Ken. Under their watchful gaze he became just as brutal, just as blood thirsty."

"Yeah, he mentioned that yesterday," Daisuke's voice was empty. Though he hurt inside and out, he had to keep it under control.

"Yes, I'm sure he did. It's a scare tactic he likes to use when he feels threatened." A smile wrinkled the kitsune's face. "From the time I found him he would tell me of the things he had done. You see, while demons have a structure system, even they must defer to their own gods. Unfortunately, Ken was never entirely certain which supposed god was the ringleader of the group that held him. They tried to take his natural power from him, to drain him dry. But that plan failed because only a sidhe weapon can drain a sidhe of his soul. Demons cannot wield such weapons. And after selling his brother into slavery, Osamu disappeared. He is most definitely still alive, but no one has been able to locate him. The few who have tried to track him have vanished as well." Sighing, he poured some tea, refilling Mimi's cup and pouring fresh cups for Daisuke and himself. "Ken has never forgiven his brother for what he did. Of all the things I tried to teach him, even I could not teach him forgiveness on that matter.

"Ken didn't so much escape, rather, he was let go. When he and I first met his own protection barriers were so low that it took a very steady astral diet to build them up again. Even that took time because he had to trust me enough to help him. As we would complete his training every day, he would tell me of the demon world. The knowledge is valuable to those who know how to use it. Honestly, I never thought I would have to."

When the words stopped Daisuke blinked a few times, processing. "And? I'm assuming there's more to this. How do I get him back? Forget that even- how do I find him?"

"I'm getting to that. Time is not on our side, but some things still require patience, young Daisuke." Another gentle smile. "You must have heard at some point about Ken's own decision regarding sexuality. It was not taken from him. His ideas were warped by the demons that held him. They told him the tales of the fey who corrupted their Elemental Circles. Those kind of fey are a rare breed to begin with, but after the centuries of ruin they endured they are now more precious than ever. When Ken came to me he learned that. However, I know those stories stuck with him. They are true, but only because of the demon's jealousy. They despise creatures of light, like the shining ones. In their rage and jealousy they cursed two of the most powerful sidhe of the high court which, in time, poisoned the rest of the group. That was when the fey scattered to the four winds.

"After a few decades passed the Circles began to start anew. Without the original magic to generate the pure essence of and Elemental sidhe, the power began to fade. The Originals had long since disbanded for realms unknown. However, one of the last gave power to Ken's family and a few others before she too disappeared. The last great Adept known in the magic world vanished some two hundred years ago leaving the sidhe with the few Circles that they now have to maintain their race. As time passes, and the power fades, their existence fades as well."

Silence fell across the small kitchen. The two younger ones thought over the tale, questions forming faster than words could be formed.

"What's an Adept?" Daisuke blushed a little. "There are still some terms I don't know yet."

Both Mimi and Gennai flashed bittersweet smiles at the young man. They had each reached the same conclusion Koushiro had. "Shall you take this one, or shall I, my lady?" When Mimi refused the elder continued with his explanation. "Adepts were once worshipped as gods, thousands of years ago. It was said that They created the universe, gave us all the magic they could. They agreed to stay to make sure the balance of things remained steady, but over time the world drained them of their energy. Although some legends say they grew so frustrated with humanity and magical beings alike that they fled to their own dimensions. In most pagan traditions, there are five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. The Adepts could control the four primal elements because it was believed they were the living essence of the fifth element. They are the spirit. With this philosophy in mind, you can see how the sidhe could become so powerful." 

Daisuke nodded, eyes wide. "So, what else could they do? I mean, beside create stuff and pass out magic powers like there was no tomorrow?"

Taking a deep breath, the kitsune used the calmest tone possible. "They could control the elements- as in create storms, cause floods, fires, change temperatures… even in smaller settings. They could generate almost any material item from seemingly thin air because they could call the elements needed to create it."

Throughout the description Daisuke's eyes had grown larger and then larger still. When his mouth dropped open only a faint squeak was emitted. Weighing the implications of Gennai's words, he looked at Mimi and realized what the emotion was in her eyes. Pity. She pitied him. Because how could he ever be expected to handle this sort of news. "You can't fucking be serious," was all he said. Standing and shaking his head he ranted as he paced the room. "No! Fuck no- it's not possible. Don't you think I would've known by now? No, just fucking no. There's no fucking way it could be true. Maybe I have something in my family like that- a really watered down version… But, just no… I don't believe you." Arms crossed in sheer defiance he dared the other two to argue.

"Too bad, Daisuke," Mimi stood as well, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You are what you are. Accept it."

"Oh that's rich coming from you," he shot back. "You ran away from what you are. You can't even face you're old friends because you're so scared-" His words cut off as Mimi's hand connected with his cheek. "Ow," he clutched at the right side of his face. "Sorry," he finally whispered.

"I dealt with it today, Daisuke. For you. And not just because you left me no other choice, but because you're right. I've run long enough." Lips set in a tight line she made a decision. "Get your things. We're going to see Sora." Motioning to the kitsune she added, "You're coming to. So pack up. Come on. Let's get this show on the road!"

*************

oy. So, I tried to extend it beyond this, but that stuff really has to go into the next chapter. Hope you liked this one. We finally know what Daisuke is, yay! And the part about the demons and fey is entirely my creation. While it would be pretty sweet if there were actual myths like that, I haven't found any. If you know of some, feel free to inform. If not, thank you for reading and I will try to have the next part out soon. Review if want, but no one's going to force you… even though it would make me really REALLY happy. (hint, hint) 


	5. 5

Notes: right on, right on! After waiting for so very long, it's finally here- an update. Damn personal life kept getting in the way. Bah! Only kidding- this part's been rough, hope it was worth the wait! 

P.S. I'm officially in love with Howie Day. The man is a brilliant singer.

Warnings: we've got your standard yaoi with a healthy side dish of yuri. yay!

Disclaimer(s): don't own the characters, don't own the show they come from, don't own the gods (although that would just be rowdy), don't own much of anything really- I'm a starving artist!

__

Shinwa- 5

"Baby," a smooth voice sounded in the blooming darkness. He groaned. "Sugar, where did you go? Where's my God of all things Aquatic?" Ryo stretched in a languid movement before rising from the bed. Wrapping a sheet around him, he began exploring the humble living quarters he shared with Osamu- all infinite square feet of it. When the sound of waves reached his ears he perked up. As always, his companion was in the control center.

Osamu sat with his back to the door fingers flying over keys and keypads. Eyebrows furrowed in dark concentration he studied the migration maps on one screen before him- the thin display of plasma hanging mid-air, almost magical with its glow. Layers of illuminated screens spread out before him as his indigo eyes searched to make sense of it all. "Come on, where are you hiding him? He's mine god dammit! My little brother to cut and manipulate." The words were a hiss and went unheeded by the Child of Earth behind him. Violently pulled from his obsessive searching, he snapped around when a voice spoke up.

"Osamu?" When the Child of Water spun in his chair, Ryo flinched. Something was not right. There was a dangerous glint in those indigo eyes. Swallowing his sudden panic back, he tilted his head deciding not to try to seduce his companion again. "What're you doing?"

Eyes like indigo pools turned to ice in the way only a true Child of Water could manage. Osamu glared for a few moments that expanded into a small eternity. After letting the silence surround them, he managed a smug grin. "Don't you worry about a thing. Just go back to bed. I'll get you up later." Then he turned back to his screens acting as if Ryo was not even there in the first place.

A pout wrinkled the smooth caramel face. This was getting ridiculous. Children of Water were not supposed to behave this way, not even on the worst day of their existence. Letting the bed sheet melt away into his usual attire he stepped forward. "I'm not some little ditz you fuck and then throw aside, Osamu. Don't keep me out. I'm getting paid for this too." 

Tension shivered down Osamu's spine. Spinning around again he nearly toppled the chair. Of course, with all his grace and poise it hardly showed. "I know you're getting paid too, but you're also getting in my way. I'm in the middle of something big here, so why don't you just go run along and play?" 

The bitterness of the words stung, taking Ryo back a step. "Well, I just thought that maybe you could use my input-"

"Well maybe you should just keep your mouth shut." Challenge sparked between them, but of a different sort. "Now," Osamu wet his lips, "get out of here."

One eyebrow automatically went up. "Oh, I don't think so, Osa-chan. I think you and I can work this out right here, right now. What do you say?" Voice flowing with velvet seduction he gave a tiny smile. "You _up_ for it?"

Lashing out with power, the Child of Water pulled his companion to him before rising from his seat. A few punches and kicks later, Osamu smiled when he heard a rib crack. A final blow against one caramel cheek and he gripped his sometimes lover by his sun-kissed hair. Drawing a dagger from his belt he chuckled when his opponent's eyes widened. "That's right- you seem to remember this little tool of mine. Such good craftsmanship don't you think?" Trailing the fine edge of the blade across one high cheekbone he continued. "Solid, cold iron. The metal that hurts our kind. The one thing that can leave permanent marks on us." With inhuman agility he made a quick gash at the base of Ryo's neck. When the Child of Earth squirmed he gripped his hair even tighter. "Relax, it's only a scratch." Leaning down he licked at the small wound savoring the quick flare of copper taste. When he kissed Ryo he was rough, almost unforgiving. "Now, I love you dearly- even if you are pathetic most of the time. But," his grip tightened more, "if you get in my way again at all your punishment will be much worse next time."

Ryo almost cried with relief when he was thrown to the floor. Suddenly, there was a boot at his shoulder flipping him, giving him seconds to realize that his windpipe was closing under the pressure of the same boot. Gasping, he tried to choke out words. "Please… stop… you're hurting me…"

Removing his foot, Osamu crouched down stroking his companion's forehead, dagger still in hand. "I know it hurts, Ryo," his voice was soothing, lulling the Child of Earth into false comfort. "I only hurt you because I love you. Don't you want to know how much I love you?" Osamu breathed his question against the trembling neck beneath him. "I love you so much," his breath tingled like ice across Ryo's skin. "I love you this much." 

The dagger sank into Ryo's flesh, and the Child of Earth screamed.

***

The clinging substance of webbing stuck at his shoulders making him grimace. Brushing it away with distaste, the demon narrowed its eyes in irritation. He stalked the hallways to his employee's quarters. Throwing open the door he was treated to the sight of more webs. Lacking intricate design, or even any simple finesse, they hung in clumps like curtains shielding their creator.

The demon frowned. He had no need to announce his presence, he simply spoke. "They're getting close, you know. Or rather, the Water Child is getting close I should say. If he gets his hands on that boy my plans will not work and I will be severely displeased." In the form of a human, he stood- plainly radiating impatience as he studied his fingernails wondering if he could make them sprout and sharpen.

There was a sudden spasm in the air. Webbing was sucked upwards, away, but not revealing the creator within the room. A voice came, like a hiss of something old, dry, nearly dead. "It is getting dangerous for us to keep this boy. The other one is becoming obsessive and violent." Within the confines of the room, the hiss echoed off the walls despite the webbed resistance. "Water is not something my workers enjoy, and that Child is becoming far too unstable."

The demon raised it eyes to the seemingly unending darkness overhead. "Well, until you start doing what I pay you for you'll find yourself hard-pressed for a meal."

The other hissed. "We had a deal!"

Shrugging elegantly he replied, "Darling, I lied. I'm a Shadow Demon after all. A member of the Royal Circle of Shadow Demons, no less. Remember that I set you free from your prison. I alone set you free and I have the power to keep you here. My destruction does not equal your freedom. The key to your release lies within me alone. You'd best remember that. Until then, you might want to find a better way to conceal my prize. The Water fey is not the only one who seeks him." That said, the demon turned and left the room, sealing it's occupant inside.

***

Daisuke strode hard on his heels, determination plain on his face. Ahead of him, Mimi trounced along in the daylight, highlighted hair trailing in the slight breeze. Behind him, Gennai walked at a steady pace still calm despite any tension. Shaking his head, Dai bit his lip in thought. They were getting close to the others; he could almost feel them. Sora's shop was less than half a city block away. His head was still reeling from what the traveler and the kitsune had told him. An Adept? Part of him was refusing to accept it. Things like this simply did not happen to him.

Granted, the introduction of Ken into his life had triggered all of this. The warrior had been well worth it though. His touch was so gentle, so loving. Memories of the previous night flickered through his mind. How connected he felt to Ken, how much he felt Ken reveling in what they shared, how soft his lips had been, how sweet he had tasted… The way they had moved together- it seemed like it had to be magic. Daisuke could no longer remember any other people from his past sexual experiences. They became a dim memory to the all too vivid recollection of holding Ken in his arms. Dai shivered as he remembered how it felt when Ken's tongue had run across his skin and how warm his mouth was…

Pain flared in his chest. He needed his sidhe back. As soon as possible. Each moment away from him was like slow torture, and not the good kind. The absence of Ken's heartbeat from his chest and the whisper of thought in his mind left Daisuke feeling empty, alone. Blinking tears back he sighed. If he was so powerful or whatever else, why did it still hurt so much? With all that kind of strength he should have been able to make it go away. But no, he could only control the elements, not emotions. Perhaps he would talk to Taichi once they arrived.

Jolted out of thought, he noticed they had stopped. The building stood before them. Dai saw Mimi swallow thickly and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay. I told you she's still in love with you. Don't worry."

The pink haired woman nodded a few times before turning back to the door. Memories flooded her eyes taking all of her strength. Raising a hand she prepared to knock then lowered her hand again. It took six tries before she was able to finally commit to the act. After giving the door a few solid knocks, Mimi just stood and waited patiently for one of her old friends to greet her. Much to her surprise, it was the shopkeeper who opened the door to allow entrance.

Sora had found it odd that someone was knocking on the street door. Most people simply went through the shop. She wondered, briefly, if it might be Ken trying to stay under cover. When she threw back the wooden barrier her breath caught in her throat. Standing before her was a vision she had not seen in so long, and it nearly brought tears to her own chestnut oculars. Flowing hair that she knew felt like silk, large hopeful eyes filled with… were those tears? Sora felt her eyes flickering rapidly. After so much time when she swore to herself that she would never accept Mimi back with open arms, she found it damn near impossible to resist. What could make the love of her life cry like that? 

Mimi's eyes dropped, letting her observe the fascinating surface of the sidewalk. When she looked up again, the auburn haired woman that she secretly called a goddess still stood before her. "Hi," she finally offered faintly. 

Biting her lip against crying or yelling, instead Sora threw her arms around Mimi not caring about the touch sensitivity for the first time in a very long while. Somewhere inside her mind registered all the missing time, but she would deal with all of that later. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Holding her other half so tightly she whispered, "I missed you so much."

Relief made Mimi all but collapse in her beloved's arms. "I missed you too."

***

He was surrounded by darkness. In every direction blackness unfurled before his eyes. Blinking, he felt his head tilting in confusion. The very last thing he could remember was running and fear. Terror that tasted like thick, bitter syrup on the back of his tongue. But what had he been so afraid of? There was a fragile memory of pain, but it was tenuous at best. He could not hold the thought long enough to access the imagery of what had happened. All he could remember was running.

Putting his hands out in front of him he tried taking a few steps and almost immediately hit a wall. He tried going in the opposite direction, again not long before he touched a wall. Maybe he could find a door… Tracing fingertips across the surface that imprisoned him, he found no breaks. No door. Unless…

Crouching he ran a shaky hand over the floor- it was rough, nearly jagged and left a stinging trace on his hand. Something wet ran down his skin. "Great," he muttered, "Just fucking perfect." Somehow he knew that bleeding was not a good idea. Still crouching he pondered over his situation for a few moments longer.

Tossing his head back he looked up still not finding light. Standing he summoned what strength he could gather and leaped. He surprised himself with how high he was able to go. Jumping again and again yielded no results. Stopping, he let his mind wander and began to finally speculate about what could have happened.

Long minutes of silence brought him few answers. However, he did realize that he could not remember anything. About his life or otherwise. No recollection of his appearance- he had no memory of what color his eyes were. There was no lingering trace of what his name might be. He bit his lip in concentration trying to focus as much as possible. Nothing. It was as if something had purged his body of whatever it had once held leaving him an empty vessel. Even without memories of who he had previously been, he knew that the idea of being filled by some unknown was not appealing. He refused to let it happen.

Fists clenching he struggled more to find a thought, a memory, any fleeting image his mind could grasp. Perhaps if he could only focus more he could remember his own name… Something in the back of his mind faltered. Suddenly he was standing straight, tall. There was a whisper, a faint shimmering light, and then a name… 

__

Daisuke…

But he knew the name was not his own.

***

Daisuke stood staring at the hole in the floor left by Ryo two days previous. The others said that they could not touch it or, at this point, look at it. Miyako still seemed terminally pissed off that someone had broken her wards. Any comfort from Hikari seemed to offer little solace. Sighing, Dai stepped around the edge of the wood and slumped into the same chair he had been tormented in. Truthfully, that particular torture was nothing more than a fleeting memory- only a whisper against the silent scream of feeling so empty without Ken beside him.

Eyes like fine spice began to liquefy and he swiped at them quickly. "Dammit," he whispered. "He shouldn't mean this much to me! I've known people for years that don't make me feel like this. This just isn't fair…" His voice broke away in pieces, dissolving into quiet, shaking sobs. "Come back, Ken," he cried. "Please just come back…"

In the past, Daisuke had chosen partners based upon looks like most everyone else in the world. However, he had always chosen men who had some sort of mystical element to their appearance. Even before Ken had entered his world, Dai had been with men who held some sort of power that strangely seemed to resemble that of the fey. Thinking about that while sitting in Sora's shop, he felt his eyes widen. Perhaps he really had been searching for Ken his entire life- not even someone of just a significant amount of power. It seemed that only the pale Child of Air could ever be the one to fill the void he had felt for so long. Still, that did not seem fair either. Spending his entire life seeking out one person without face or name, simply hoping he would recognize him at first glance?

Well, maybe not first glance. After the initial flare of desire and intrigue, a few glances later perhaps. But Ken just had something within. Some indefinable characteristic that appealed to Daisuke's aesthetic sensibilities. Regardless of the incredibly violent aura the fey gave off, something deeper within exuded warmth, compassion; traits that all of Daisuke's previous lovers never had.

Trying to regain control of himself he heard it- a subtle whisper that could not have come from human lips. It was a breath that ran across his nerve endings, danced over his bones, and made his insides turn to fire. A whisper that could only come from power, from a fey. 

__

Daisuke…

"Ken," he breathed, eyes blinking in desperate need to understand. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was his love. Yet, something seemed different. There was something distinctly off about the power he felt whispering his name. An almost ghostly touch floated across his skin, the air suddenly cooler. Shaking in anticipation Dai whispered the warrior's name again. Somewhere, a switch was flipped- suddenly the connection ceased. Leaping out of his chair he ran from the room searching for the others.

He found them; all seated in what vaguely resembled a living room. They were talking, voices hushed. Strangely enough, he noticed the absence of Sora and Mimi. When he cleared his throat a few in the room turned to him, nearly startled. "Sorry," his words were sheepish. "Guess you guys were really into whatever you were talking about. But, I think Ken just called to me. Or something."

Obsidian eyes widening, lighting up, Koushiro rose from his seat. "What did he say?" Immediately, the redhead's mind began whirling with possibilities and implications.

Daisuke shrugged. "He didn't say anything. He just… called to me- whispered my name. There was this connection and then it suddenly vanished." He paused for a moment. "But something's wrong. It was Ken, but it wasn't really him. I don't know how to explain it, really."

Out of the corner of his eye, Dai saw Yamato whispering something to Taichi and watched the brunette depart before the telepath spoke up. "Tai's gone to get Sora and Mimi. As much as I hate to break up their reunion-"

He was cut off by a shriek, followed very closely by Mimi's voice screaming, "TAICHI! Didn't you learn how to fucking knock?! GET OUT OF HERE!" Then silence, followed by a much quieter, "Oh."

***

"I can't believe you two were already getting down and dirty," Taichi cried. "Mimi's been in the building for all of, what, forty-five minutes and already you two are getting freaky deaky. Priceless." Barely ducking a smack, the empath snickered.

Mimi glared at the offending man. "Shut up," she muttered. From her place beside Sora on the couch, she huddled in on herself, pouting. A soft touch at her cheek made her look up.

"Don't do that," Sora chided. "You're irresistible when you pout like that." Placing a quick kiss on her blushing girlfriend's forehead she smiled. 

"Seems like you've acquired quite the vocabulary while you were away," Yamato smirked. "I didn't think you even knew what the word 'fuck' meant."

While the blond giggled with his boyfriend, Mimi stuck her tongue out at the two of them. "You'd be surprised at the words I know."

"That's for damn sure," Daisuke spoke up, a grin on his face. It seemed so right to see the group completed this way excluding only himself and Gennai. Sparing a glance at the old man he noticed a distinct sparkle in the kitsune's eyes. Feelings of happiness spread across his body… only to be washed away quickly when he heard that ghostly whisper once more.

__

Daisuke…

The man in question gasped. This time the touch felt solid, almost real. And while it carried obvious signatures that could only exist for Ken, something was still missing. Sighing, he leaned into the invisible hands at his shoulders. It seemed so strange to welcome this feeling without trepidation, though he could feel the fear radiating from Ken. The whisper came stronger, louder…

__

Daisuke…

Help me…

For a moment it seemed as though there were two voices calling to him.

"What the hell is that?" Miyako eyed the space around her. "It feels like he's here. Like he's standing right beside Daisuke…" When she pointed to where she thought Ken should be her voice failed. A nearly transparent figure loomed behind the bronzed man. While the figure itself shone with some iridescent light hidden away somewhere, it completely illuminated Daisuke. The wine colored hair blazed and his skin was enough to light up the entire room. "Holy shit," the pagan breathed. "What kind of fucking magic _is_ this?!" 

Iori sat, mouth agape, trying to mentally run through all forms of luminous spells and spirits. Beside the youngest, Takeru began to blink. The blond could feel something in the room with them. If he concentrated he could almost feel two distinct impressions, yet they had the same essence. That was odd. He was about to say something when Hikari beat him to it.

"You guys," the female psychic spoke up, "this is getting way too weird. There are two versions of Ken in this room right now." Cherry eyes flickered back and forth between the apparitions trying to decipher which was real and which illusion. Ultimately, she could only come to one conclusion. "There's two of him," she whispered. "But neither one is false."

Daisuke merely stood and observed the confusion. Moments after he felt the barest of touches and heard that ghostly call he felt the missing piece of Ken enter the room. While the others were busy trying to figure out what it meant, Dai was trying to communicate with the pieces of his love that he had to work with. _Ken_, his mind whispered. _Ken why are there two of you? You know I can hear your thoughts again, I can feel you. Why is everything so dark? Damn if that's not one of the creepiest things ever._

Daisuke… Two Kens whispered, but only one took over. _Shadow demons caught me again._ The voice sounded highly irritated at the prospect. Apparently, Ken did not like being held in captivity. _I'm not sure what they're planning to do, but they separated me into two beings. Of course, then the bastards cursed me so I can't tell you exactly what they did-_

Well that's no fucking fair! Daisuke was outraged. How was he supposed to help if Ken could not tell him what was going on?

__

I know, Daisuke. Both versions of Ken sighed._ Our bond must be stronger than they anticipated though if we're able to talk like this across miles of city and magic. Listen, tell Koushiro I've been split. He'll know what to do with that information._

Koushiro. Right, will do. Frowning, the other felt something tugging at him in places too deep for human hands. _I miss you Ken. And I think I-_

Don't, Daisuke. Not here, not now. Don't say it. They'll use it to hurt you. I will not allow that. Please be careful. And watch out for my brother and Ryo. They'll be after you again soon once they figure all of this out and those assholes are resourceful. You'll need to stick with the others to stay safe… I wish they hadn't been dragged into this. This is my mess. Echoes of guilt and sorrow laced the whisper across Daisuke's mind.

__

And I will help them, and I will help you, and everything will be okay, Ken. I can't lose you. Besides, Koushiro's come up with some sort of theory. Gennai has too. They think I'm some sort of adapt or something. Chuckling to himself, he could feel the fey's eyes widen at this. Beyond that, he felt nothing but the cold glimmer of fear.

__

You shouldn't have said that, Daisuke. Those were Ken's last words before departing.

When he could no longer feel the connection, Dai took a deep breath. That switch had been flipped again severing their ties. In one split second he felt so hollow and so empty, missing his other half. Tears swelled in his eyes and he fought them with everything he had. He should have known that it would be a losing battle.

As the newcomer had spoken with his absent lover, others in the room had noticed. Yamato, Taichi, and Gennai each kept a close eye on the sequence of events, the expressions on Dai's face. The telepath tried with the greatest power he had to break into the conversation. It came through like bad frequency, much like everything associated with demons. When the link was shut off completely it threw him. Beside the blond, Tai was picking up the emotions from both forms of Ken and the wilting form of Daisuke. Everywhere from Ken there was concern and determination coupled with something so fierce that it made Taichi's knees buckle and it took him some time to pinpoint what it was. His eyes widened as he solved the puzzle and heard the kitsune speak up.

"He loves him a great deal, doesn't he? It is almost painful in its scope." The older man sighed, weary from the small battles they had already waged, knowing that there would be a war coming soon. "Ken has loved him from the moment he first saw him. Daisuke is like his oxygen, his source of magic almost. And Ken will die to keep him safe. From the moment he first read of him, Ken has fought for him with such a passion that it staggers the mind." Rubbing the back of his neck, the kitsune moved over to where Dai stood. The other man's shoulders were sagging under the weight of his loss.

Taichi was up and running before he had time to think. "What do you mean read about him? And how long ago did Ken first see him? If you know shit you better cough it up damn quick or you'll have all of us to deal with. Start talking, _kitsune_ if you want to see another day." The words came out so quickly and so sharply that they cast a hush out over the room. Empathy aside, the brunette let his eyes burn with the words showing that he meant every single one.

Mimi gulped seeing an all too familiar situation. "You know, Daisuke acted the same way when you withheld information before, Gennai. You saw what he was willing to do. You know what my friends will do." Sighing, the light haired woman turned to study the companion beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "He's dealt with this before, Sora. These demons… he knows their rules and their policies. He'll help us and we don't have to threaten him. I trust him." Her eyes were honest, sincere. Doing her best to radiate the truth in her words, the borrower watched her girlfriend think it over.

Large chestnut eyes clouded for a moment. She knew why Mimi touched her, could feel the reasons. The memories were being passed to her so quickly. Sora spared a glance at her lover. "You're familiar with them too," she whispered. Biting her lip she fought off the pain gathering in her throat. "I wish I could have been there to help you."

"I know," Mimi whispered. 

With shaking hands, Sora wiped her eyes clean. "Guys," she raised her voice. "Leave Gennai alone. He'll answer everything in due time. For right now, don't push him."

The old man nodded in respect to the shopkeeper. "Thank you, my lady," his voice was soft yet it filled the room, all but commanding respect. "Your love is correct in saying that I have dealt in these affairs before. That is how I trained Ken to make him the warrior you know today. However, there were certain things I could not teach him because I did not anticipate them." He sighed. "For all the world, if I could have saved that boy from this fate I would have." Glancing at Daisuke who was still struggling with gravity and the genuine weight of emotion he gave a sad smile. "I would have saved him as well."

"You know what he is then." Koushiro stepped forward. As the kitsune nodded the redhead mirrored the action. "How strong do you think he really is? For instance, did he tell you about his encounter in this shop? Has he demonstrated any abilities that you could see?" Slowly working himself into a frenzy the telekinetic had to step away from the words for a moment. Warm hands touched his shoulders.

"Breathe," Jyou murmured in his lover's ear. "You'll be all right, just breathe. We'll get our answers." The bespectacled man looked up locking eyes with Gennai. "You call Ken a boy as though he is decades younger than you, but I'm willing to bet he's older than we thought."

"You mean I'm dating an older guy?" Daisuke's voice cut through the built-up tension smoothly. "Well… shit then. After my last boyfriend I swore off older men and everything too. Motherfucker." Giggling a bit he sank to a crouch before finally landing on the floor, wincing at the impact of tailbone and solid wood. "Ow."

The youngest approached the babbling man with caution before poking him in the side after being told how much that action tickled the subject. Said subject swayed as he sat looking for all the world as though he were high as a kite. "It's like he's drunk or something," Iori observed. "And does anyone else feel what he's doing?"

Mimi stood quickly searching for the violet flame that the kitsune had carried with them. "All right, this is still lit. How can he bypass this to make everything feel-"

"Like it's all okay…" Miyako shook her head, a worried frown creasing her features. "I don't like this," the pagan said quietly. "He's gaining power simply by thinking about Ken. I would hate to see what happens when they're together. I'm not so sure the universe can handle it." 

"He isn't gaining power, Miya," Hikari countered. "All he's doing is recharging and redispersing. There's nothing being taken from anywhere, but at the same time he isn't creating anything new either. All he's doing is magnifying what already exists to make all of us feel better." She could see the patterns of energy wafting through the air as if made of tangible fabric. Colors and designs floated in the air. "You know, if I did drugs this would be completely insane."

"Or completely rowdy," her brother added with a smirk. "But can we please focus on the issue at hand! We've got a borderline obsessive fey, his Adept boyfriend, demons, and I'm being the responsible one! The universe has gone completely fucking wacky!" Relinquishing his authoritative demeanor he immediately sank into a pout that disappeared as soon as a certain blond telepath took him into an embrace.

"It's ok," Yamato whispered. "You won't have to be in charge anymore. Don't worry, your brain won't explode with the strenuous task of having to think…"

Taichi glared at the blond and mussed his hair. "You bitch!"

On the floor Daisuke felt the world slipping back into place as he chuckled at the couple's antics. He had heard everything the others said, yet it had felt like he was outside his body. As Iori studied him, Dai shook his head trying to clear images of Ken. "Koushiro," this time his voice was a ragged mess. Trying to stand proved difficult as he slid back to the floor. "Damn," he muttered. "Koushiro," Daisuke spoke again. "Ken said to tell you that they split him and you would know what that means." As he watched the redhead's obsidian eyes widen into comically large circles he grinned. "Well then, I guess he was right. Feel like sharing?" A dangerous tone flickered through the words causing the air in the room to change. The tension was back again- simmering, shining, cutting…

"How do you DO that?!" Takeru shook his head as he gaped at Daisuke. "That's just freaking creepy! Will you stop?"

For all of the knowledge and power gained, Daisuke was still confused about everything. First he had demons trying to kill him, then a couple sidhe were after him. He had fallen in love with a Child of Air who had subsequently been taken away and he was relying on the help of a kitsune and a ragtag group of people with mysterious abilities to find the love of his life. Understandably, he was still oblivious to the fact that he was able to shift elements in subtle enough ways to change the environment of even one small room. Therefore, his response to Takeru went as such: "Huh?"

Miyako rolled her eyes. "Tell me you're joking," she muttered. "You can't be fucking serious. 'Huh'? That's all you've got to say for yourself? You've shifted the emotional energy of this room twice, and effortlessly I might add, within the space of less than ten minutes. All you can say to that is just 'huh'?" She shook her head in disbelief, hands firmly on her hips. "Un-freaking-believable."

In that moment something hit Daisuke that had been quiet for the past several hours. Images began to bounce through his mind. Flashing pictures of the pagan's memories ran like lightning across the synapses in his brain. "Oh," he finally replied. "I hadn't even realized it. I mean, when Ken and I were here dealing with…" he glanced at Gennai who nodded, "when we were dealing with Ryo I did something then too. It's hard to explain and it just happened so quickly. Really this kind of stuff just happens at random sometimes and I just thought I was really, really lucky that everything went well for me." Words fell away and despair sank in. "I don't know," he whispered. "I just don't know."

It broke Mimi's heart to see Daisuke look so sad. His entire world he been turned on end in the blink of an eye and he was learning that he had enough power to control the elements that made up space and time. "Sweetie," she moved to crouch beside him. "It'll be okay, Daisuke. Don't worry. I found Ken once already, didn't I? You know I can find him again. Everything will turn out okay, you'll see…" She continued in this vein for a while, trying to soothe the confusion away.

At this bit of information, Koushiro was stunned. "You did it? You flew again?" When Mimi nodded his mouth dropped open in complete shock. Behind him Sora smiled.

"How was it?" The shopkeeper's voice never wavered.

"I had forgotten how amazing it was," Mimi replied. "How beautiful everything really is." Tears shimmered in her eyes and she felt a wave of comfort settle over he before they could fall. Stunned she looked at the man she had been trying to comfort.

"I'm a quick study," Daisuke said with a smile. Mentally assessing the situation he sighed and finally stood and then offered Mimi a hand. "Sorry about that little breakdown just then. But you've got to admit this is more than a little overwhelming. I mean, there are still supernatural beings trying to kill me-"

"Why yes, baby, there sure are." A voice cut over Daisuke's words with sticky sweetness. "Now, if you would be so kind as to come with me, I could solve all of these problems for you. Take you away from all that plagues you…"

The others looked wildly around the room. There was no body that went with the velveteen voice. Each word ran like a caress across the skin. However, the touch felt almost perverted, unwanted. Daisuke frowned, he knew the voice but it had not been like this before.

"Ryo, why don't you come out where we can see you?"

The very air itself pouted. "Aw, you're no fun anymore." Just behind Daisuke the air shifted, expanded. The energy undulated and bloomed into the shape of a man. And just as before, Ryo stepped out of nothingness. "Well hello gorgeous," he planted a kiss on Dai's cheek. Before he could move away an iron grip caught his wrist.

"You don't ever touch me," the words were low, dangerous. "You don't ever lay a finger on me."

Ryo blinked his pretty eyes. "But lover, I thought you liked it when I-"

"Don't," he warned. Fire was building in Daisuke's eyes. Anyone witnessing could plainly see that he was losing control very quickly. Unfortunately for the others in the room, it could be felt as well. "Where is he, Ryo? Where did they take him?" Without even trying, Dai made the Child of Earth shudder.

Swallowing his quickly he remained strong. Osamu would kill him if he screwed up. "Who?" His question came out shaky and he noticed the flash of pleasure in his opponent's eyes at that. "Kenny? Haven't seen him in ages. His brother though… well," he gave an intriguing smile, "I've seen him. And let me tell you he can do amazing things for you."

"You're scared of me Ryo," Dai stated calmly. "Point blank- you are terrified of me." Leaning closer to the sidhe he gave his most wicked smile. "And you should be." It was enough of a distraction. Daisuke had seen Sora moving up behind Ryo quick enough to catch him, but she would need someone to keep his mind off the other people in the room.

Ryo felt a hand on his neck seconds before a blistering pain tore across his mind. "No!" He was screaming. "You don't understand. He'll kill me if I fail him. He's crazy, you don't know what he'll do!"

The Child of Earth writhed as the others descended upon him. He kicked and screamed with everything he could. For his part, Gennai frowned at the tactics used. He gave Daisuke a sharp look and saw that the other was already beginning to regret his choice. "Guys stop," the young man said, voice firm.

Letting their captive go, the others backed away processing what they had gotten from him. On the floor Ryo shivered uncontrollably. Whispering over and over he rocked and wrapped his long arms around himself for the small comfort they could provide. "No. No, no, no, no, no, no…"

Staring at him the group was puzzled. Finally Sora knelt before the sidhe, unafraid. "Ryo, can you hear me?" The Child of Earth pushed her away and shook his head quickly, still rocking as he sat on the floor. Tears squeezed from the corners of his eyes. 

"He'll kill me," he whispered. "He'll kill me. He'll fucking cut me up and eat the pieces before he picks his teeth with my bones. He'll _eat_ me! Don't you get it?! He will destroy me!"

Quick glances were passed around the room. Without any hesitation a decision was made. Yamato silently made sure everyone agreed before he spoke. "You'll be okay, Ryo. Everyone here has decided."

Daisuke pulled Sora aside, touching her without reservation. "What happened?"

Her chestnut eyes were luminous with pity. "It's Ken's brother. Ryo is in love with him and they've been together for years. But… he's gone crazy, Daisuke. He's completely lost it. And he really will kill Ryo. He's after Ken and he'll stop at nothing to get him." She gave him a searching look. "You'll help him won't you?" Desperate times will indeed call for desperate measures. "Please," she whispered, "he's even scared for Ken. He came to us for help."

Something was not right. Daisuke shook his head, face dark. "Then why all the tricks?"

A laugh sounded in the room. Another disembodied sound that echoed off the walls, rang with dark promise. Somewhere beyond the laughter was a softer noise, like waves upon the shore. Water ran down the walls, flooded the floor. "You're too smart for your own fucking good, little Dai-chan. I can see why my brother seems to be so fascinated by you."

Cinnamon eyes darted everywhere trying to pin the source of the voice. "Osamu," he growled. "Enough games. Get your ass out here." He had no idea what he would do, only that he wanted Ken safe.

On the floor Ryo was crying again. Whispers fell from his lips in a quiet plea. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry. Forgive me. I'm so, so sorry. I had no choice…"

The Child of Water gave another laugh. "You're all so pathetic you know that? Thinking you could hide Ken from me for so long, thinking Ryo would actually lower himself to asking you for help. Pathetic I tell you!" As he spoke the water ceased its flow and collected in a tower that formed the outline of a man. In a flexing touch of magic the tower gave way and Osamu stood before them. An arrogant smirk plastered on his face, his hair disheveled and spiked, he could have been Ken… if not for the eyes. They shone nearly opaque, dead- a poisoned cornflower blue. "So nice to finally meet you face to face, Daisuke," the words slithered through the air, feeling like water trickling into the ears. "Of course, I've been watching you for a while."

"What do you want?" Folding his arms Daisuke did his best to look interested. Truthfully, he had seen Osamu's greatest flaw from the start. The Child of Water would be defeated very easily. Looking bored, however, got him nowhere.

"I was expecting a little more reverence with that. Clearly, you were made for that disgusting waste of flesh known to this world as my pathetic little brother. No matter though, you'll do nicely all the same." He drew a dagger from his belt, smiling as he watched his lover cringe and curl up tighter on the floor. "Don't worry, baby. I only save the special one for you." He blew Ryo a kiss.

Raising an eyebrow, Dai shook his head in disbelief. "You really are out of your fucking mind aren't you? Why are you here, Osamu?" Taking a step forward he let his power swell around him.

"What was that?" The fey gave a dark laugh. "You think you can overpower me? Think again, darling boy. I will eat you alive," he lunged at Daisuke, slashing out with power. Teeth bared, weapons ready he launched himself and fought for everything he was worth. As though he had nothing to lose.

The combination of violence and magic stunned Daisuke and he tried to side-step Osamu with no luck. This was not something that he could have planned for. Insanity wrought strength all on its own, coupled with the power locked inside the sidhe it made a near unbeatable force. Before he could blink he found himself facing the others, Osamu behind him holding a dagger to his throat. He could hear the ragged giggling behind him.

"If you think so awfully about Ken, why are you hunting for him?" Hikari's voice came from beyond Daisuke's line of vision. "And what could you possibly have to gain from hurting Daisuke?"

The blade at Dai's throat pressed closer. This time Ken was not there with his poise, and grace, and incredible sword work. This time he was on his own. "You can't fine him, can you?"

Osamu shook his captive. "You shut up. I may not be able to find where they hid him, but I know who's holding him. They like boys with power. And I think they'd be more than willing to trade Ken for you." He ran his tongue against Daisuke's neck and laughed at the resulting shudder and the look of blatant pain in Ryo's eyes. "Oh lover, don't worry. I only save the special treats for you. Daisuke here makes perfect bait, though. They'll come to me and I will have my little brother back so that I can cut him and hurt him and bleed him dry. Come on Ryo. Let's leave these pathetic fucks to wallow in their humanity."

Ryo sat wide-eyed on the floor and shook his head. "No, Osamu. You've hurt me enough. Take him to be your whipping boy. I'm through with it."

"Fine," the Child of Water sneered. "But you will regret saying that later, Ryo. Next time I see you I will kill you." 

Before anyone could move there was a flashing light coupled with the sound of rain, and they were gone.

"This," Gennai said slowly, "is not good."

Eyeing the broken down Child of Earth on the floor, Sora was inclined to agree. With Ryo's memories swirling in her mind she knew where to go to find Osamu, but was equally aware he would either be expecting her or would have relocated. "Ryo," she knelt before him, "where are they going? I know where you lived with him but I know he must have moved. Where are they going?"

Terrified of his lover and horrified at what he had just done, the fey trembled. "They're going to where the demons live. I can't remember the name of the place, but it's the demon market. He'll take him there if he survives the night. Knowing… knowing Osamu, that could be a gamble." It left him cold to imagine what the Child of Water was going to inflict upon Daisuke.

***

In the quiet darkness he pieced things together. That man. He had told him his name. He had welcomed him so openly. And he was just as puzzled as to why he was so incomplete. But then, there was another who appeared. Another version of himself. As he sat in his quiet, dark prison he let his mind wander. 

The one named Daisuke. He was the key. That beautiful, magical, entrancing man. Somehow he knew that he had loved him. And he knew that he would always love him. They belonged together, he could feel it. Taking in one shuddering breath he rolled over the sensation in his mind. Daisuke would help him. He would set him free, he would make him whole again. All he had to do was wait.

But his patience was not endless.

*************

alright, so this was an extremely long chapter and I wasn't quite sure where to end it, so I hope this makes everyone happy for now. I promise the next part won't take so long. Review if you want to, criticize if you must… and I will love you all the same. Until next time… 


	6. 6

Notes: and here it is!!!! Alright, first things first. This chapter is going to take a bit of a more personal look at the relationships between the characters and some background stuff that's happening. In case you were wondering…

Warnings: yaoi, yuri, tons of fun!

Disclaimer: I cannot claim ownership of these characters or the pantheons & gods they refer to.

__

Shinwa- 6

Daisuke came to and found he was bound. Both by ties and magic, he was trapped in a small circle of space. Nearby, the Child of Water was working furiously on something that involved a lot of typing and cursing. The last thing Dai had been aware of was being taken by Osamu and then a darkness. Trying to keep as quiet as possible, Daisuke had easily found his boundaries had been set for him by the psychotic fey. And it was starting to irritate him on whole new levels. However, his exploration had not gone unnoticed.

Turning to his captive, Osamu gave an eerie grin. "Well, well, look who's awake finally." With one long, elegant motion he gestured to the control center around them. "Like the quarters? I designed it and personally, I think I did a damn fine job. If I do say so myself. But enough of formalities, as much as I'm sure you enjoy this time to stall. Let's get down to business shall we?" While the words had been formal, even polite, the tone they were spoken in left a little something to be desired.

Daisuke began to fidget and pull at the ropes that bound his hands. "Why did you take me, Osamu?"

"Oh my pretty, I already told you that one," the fey chided him. "But, I suppose I can indulge you this once and give you a refresher course." Standing, he stretched in a movement so liquid it was amazing to his prisoner. "You," Osamu pointed to Daisuke, "are a being of high quality power. Thankfully, I've done enough studying in my time to figure out how to bind you." He gave a heart-stopping smile. It stopped his prey's heart in the manner of fear, paranoia, and panic, though the fey thought it was beautiful. "Now, as I was saying… There's this group of demons, and they have my Ken. My little, darling brother. And, well, after so much time I've decided I want him back. You see, he's mine. In every way. Our parents have been dead for some time now and it's my responsibility to keep him." Turning, he gave Daisuke a full view of his profile, now darkened by the monitors behind it. "Besides, we used to have so much fun. All the knives and things. He can take so much damage…"

"You're out of your mind," Dai breathed. His commentary was rewarded with a backhand- hard, solid. "Ken told me how you tried to kill him!" Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something that made him smile if only a little bit. Osamu had broken the circle when he lost his temper. 

"You shut up!" The Water Child grabbed his captive tightly by the hair, nearly ripping it out. "You know nothing of how the fey live. All you know is what you've gathered in the past few hours. So don't you try to tell me what I may or may not be." Finishing with a low growl, the fey licked at Daisuke's neck. "As for right now, you're mine too. In every way." Teeth slick with saliva nipped at the bronze column of skin.

Panic seized Dai's heart making it beat nearly three times faster. He had to get out of there. If Osamu got his hands on Ken there was no telling what he might do. Going still for a moment he concentrated, trying to make the ropes fall away. Unfortunately, his captor took that moment to hit him with a psychic wall of memories and twisted fantasies. Cinnamon eyes snapped open and filled with tears. "Don't," he whispered. "Please don't. I'll be good, I promise."

"Ryo promised he would be good too," Osamu hissed. "And now look where he is- the little turncoat whore!" Pulling a blade from his belt he pressed the tip to Daisuke's throat. "I need a new toy now, so it looks like you'll have to do."

Trying to back away, he found himself caught in a fierce grip. There was no getting away from Osamu. "Don't do this," he begged as he felt long, tapered fingers pull at his shirt. "Stop, please."

Lifting his head from where he had been feasting on Daisuke's deliciously exposed skin the Child of Water gave another grin. "But we're just getting started." When his hand found it's way into Dai's pants he bit down on his captive's jugular- hard.

"Osamu, no!" Daisuke was screaming to anyone who would listen, and no one seemed to hear.

***

In the darkness he felt it. A blistering cry for help. No… Someone was hurting Daisuke. Someone was hurting _his _Daisuke. He could not allow that to happen. In a frantic attempt to escape, he ran at the walls throwing his whole body in the event. Clawing at his prison he let out an animalistic sound that echoed in the blackness. No one touched Daisuke. 

Leaping into the air again he tried to find a ceiling, and still his hand met nothing but empty space. Howling in frustration he pulled at his hair caring about nothing except the safety of the man who had revealed his name. Daisuke knew who he was and he had to get to him. Whether he was missing pieces of his body or spirit was of little importance. No one touched his Daisuke.

Between running at the walls and reaching upwards he heard it. A low hiss swept through the air. He stilled completely- frozen in mid-jump. The hiss swelled into something monstrous that he knew beyond any doubt could swallow him whole. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and thought for a moment. Ultimately, he swept his hand over the floor being sure to cut it enough to bleed freely. Drawing a circle around himself he waited, patiently. A blood circle could be highly dangerous. However, he knew two things. While something could most definitely be trapped inside, it also kept everything else out.

***

The group stood immobile after hearing Ryo cry about losing his beloved Osamu. They way it seemed to be going, the fey was falling quickly in a downward spiral. And he had taken Daisuke with him.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing!" Taichi was frantic, pacing the room. The look of fear that slid through Ryo's eyes had been genuine and after conferring briefly with Yamato, Tai knew what could possibly be happening to their new friend.

"Relax, Tai," the blond man stepped behind him. "We'll find him. Don't worry. He'll be okay."

"Relax?!" The brunette was stupefied by this. "How in the hell can you tell me to relax? Osamu is out of his freaking mind doing… things to Daisuke even as we speak and we're wasting time. Ken, you remember Ken? Our friend, Ken? Is in the possession of a bunch of demons right now and he's our greatest hope. Or did you forget about the demon part too? For goddess' sake!" Tai continued ranting at his boyfriend completely oblivious to the growing discord in the room.

Miyako, however, was quick enough to feel it and catch its culprit. "You aren't going anywhere," clapping a firm hand down on Ryo's shoulder she kept him from escaping the room. Drawing a dagger from her belt, she traced a quick but effective binding rune on the Child of Earth's back and whispered an accompanying incantation low enough that no one but Ryo heard it. He was immobilized but retained his ability to speak. The pagan was good. She knew what she was doing. It made the fey wonder what exactly this group did in its spare time.

"That was quite the clever trick you pulled on us," Miyako hissed at her opponent. "Now, be a good boy and make all the bad feelings go away. There are enough of us in this room with plenty of power. Fey or not, we could cause some serious damage to you." Crossing her arms she eyed him down the length of her nose. The pose left her looking regal though deadly and snobbish.

"You're right, Miyako," Koushiro spoke up. "That was a clever trick on his part. If we hadn't witnessed Daisuke doing the same thing, I don't think any of us would've caught it."

"Yeah, well this little shmuck broke my wards, so I'm looking for any excuse to kick his ass," the pagan woman replied.

Honey eyes widened at the mentioning of her wards. "How did you know it was me?" Ryo took the fact that he could move his facial muscles as a good sign and decided it best to conceal that evidence as much as possible.

"Breaking wards set into a wooden floor could only come from an earth or air power. You don't look like an Air Child, quite frankly. You reek of the soil, Ryo," Miyako stepped closer. "And I know you can move your face. I did that on purpose. Just try breaking free, you'll see what happens."

The fey felt choked, claustrophobic. How could this witch read his thoughts?

"She's not reading your mind," Yamato offered from beyond Ryo's line of vision. He stood holding his lover protectively; soothing away his worries and discomfort. "The binding she placed upon you makes it difficult to hide anything from us. It's an old Celtic method. You can't tell, but we can hear you, we can all feel you." Smiling, he turned back to the man in his arms and kissed his forehead tenderly.

Sora stood apart from everyone, gathering her thoughts. "This is all well and good," she noted. "But bickering with Ryo isn't going to get us very far."

"Agreed," Mimi stood behind her girlfriend. "We've got to get Daisuke and Ken."

Through all of this, Gennai, Takeru, and Jyou had been conferring. Finally, the pyrokinetic spoke up. "You know, we could always ask my brother for help. I mean…" He paused for a moment. Glancing at Koushiro he felt his eyes widen.

"What is it, Jyou? Why your brother? He's…" Then the redhead's eyes enlarged as he thought things through.

"I can't believe I forgot this," Jyou muttered. "My brother, Shin, is married to Daisuke's sister." Scratching his chin he looked thoughtful.

"Dude! How do you forget something like that?" Taichi would have slapped the back of his friend's head if his boyfriend had not been holding onto him quite so possessively.

"I just didn't think of it," Jyou whispered. "Jun doesn't really talk about her family all that much. She's mentioned Daisuke a few times; but then again you've got to keep in mind I haven't seen Shin in almost three years. Not since he got married."

"Wasn't Daisuke at the wedding?" Koushiro was curious about this. If they had all met Daisuke on a previous occasion, why could none of them remember it?

"Yes," Gennai murmured, "he was there. You all met him then too. Well, all of you who were there. I believe that was only Jyou, Koushiro, Sora, and Iori. The rest of you either could not make it or were not invited. Ken was there as well, but that was for a different reason."

Jyou spun around to eye the kitsune. "I don't remember Ken being invited to my brother's wedding."

"He was not there for your brother," the old man stated again. "Perhaps it would be best if we were on our way then? Shin might be of some help…"

As the group dispersed throughout the house, preparing to leave, Koushiro cornered Gennai. "Why was Ken there? If he wasn't there for the wedding, why was he there? And why don't any of us remember meeting Daisuke?"

"All your questions will be answered in due time, Koushiro. For now, though, it might be best to get Ryo into safer quarters."

The redhead blinked. His obsidian eyes then filled with what could only be called harsh irritation. Flexing a simple psychic muscle he lifted the kitsune off the ground with practiced ease. "Oh no," he said. "You've been cryptic enough and I'm tired of riddles. I love a good mystery as much as the next person, but this is getting a bit ridiculous. Ken's past is something only two, possibly three, people know of and any information you might have can only help us in finding him. So why all the mystery?"

"If you would be so kind as to put me down, I would gladly help you." When the telekinetic had settled him onto the floor again, Gennai smiled letting the warmth of it touch his eyes. "You're very intelligent, Koushiro. Most people forget that levitation disarms the kitsune. Good strategic skill." As the redhead raised an eyebrow indicating he was not impressed with flattery the old man chuckled. "I'm getting to it, Koushiro. Patience is a virtue after all."

"I guess you could say I'm not feeling very virtuous at the moment," he quipped. "So, about Ken?"

"Yes," Gennai nodded, "Ken." Sighing he tried to find the best place to start and settled for the simplest explanation he could offer. Though it provided little to no details on anything, it would give an answer to all of the issues Koushiro and his friends had been dealing with as of late. "Ken was there to watch Daisuke. Before the Adept even met our friend, Ken watched him. He has watched Daisuke for the best part of two decades. The Child of Air loves him so much he would be willing to trade his soul for anything in any world to make Daisuke happy. However, Ken has spent so much time watching Daisuke and protecting him that it has become something near an obsession for him. He will go to great lengths to keep Daisuke safe- even if it means he must forfeit his own life."

Koushiro stood there for a moment processing the new bit of information and running through all the implications behind it. Closing his eyes, he swallowed and decided he was grateful none of the others were present for this discussion. "Ken is a Guardian, isn't he? That's why he was watching over Daisuke. Traditionally, they always do an excellent job until the Adept comes into power and then the Guard rides off into the sunset. What happened? Why is Ken so different?"

The luster faded from the kitsune's eyes. "The demons affected Ken's mind, Koushiro. He thinks of Daisuke as his. At least, he used to. I tried to break him of the habit years ago and found it difficult. When they stayed with me last night I think Daisuke himself might have changed Ken's point of view. But if he has, it may make things that much more fragile. The love of a fey is something that is never relinquished once given." Gesturing to Ryo he added, "That is why this one is still claiming feelings for Osamu despite the Water Child's highly destructive nature. Sad to say, but even on his worst day, Osamu is no match for his brother. Especially if Ken were protecting Daisuke and fell into a rage. If Daisuke is hurt in any way, Ken will take his vengeance. It is a sad thing, but the Children of Air are notoriously violent. Don't worry though, he could never hurt Daisuke." Smiling again, Gennai shuffled to the door to wait for the others.

"He's right, you know," Ryo added from his corner. "Osamu could never defeat Ken. The younger one is much too powerful. That's why he was chosen as a Guardian."

Koushiro let his eyes trail from where they had been following the old man back into the room, to Ryo. "What do you mean?"

"Children of Air are known for kicking some ass," Ryo sighed. "Water is supposed to be a stabilizing force for them. But with Osa… Osamu, it's different. He's going crazy. A Water Child when crossed is a dangerous thing. I don't know how it happened, or why, just that I want my Water fey back. Still, the kitsune is right. Even on it's worst day, Water is no match for Air."

Nodding, Koushiro noted the others were returning. "That makes sense," he said softly. "Given the overall influence of the elemental powers within the circle. But where is your fire?"

Honey eyes merely stared at the telekinetic. The Earth fey was so broken, so lost. Looking away, he decided what Koushiro did not know could never hurt him.

***

His footsteps resounded in the corridor with purpose. Something had happened. One way or another the captive had contacted the outside. This was not supposed to be possible. He frowned and felt his eyes bleeding away from their human appearance into something much darker. The whites were swallowed by an inky color, the pupils aflame. Stopping at the door he noted, with utmost distaste, the amount of webbing had increased within the past twenty-four hours.

Not a moment after the door closed at his back there was a hiss. Beyond it, he heard the sounds of air currents and scuttling footsteps in the darkness. Something was moving in the room. He paid it no heed. This demon was on his payroll after all. What should he have to fear? "Your workers keep making mistakes," he growled. 

A rasping laugh echoed off the walls. "Try feeding them and I'm sure you'll find that all errors can be easily rectified. Someone like you should know that." Though the words were carefully enunciated, the dry ache of old age slipped into the tongue making it slip through the shadows like a blade. 

Curling his lip he eyed the creature. In true darkness most humans would have found it impossible to see the demon on the other end of the conversation. His humanity was only a shell- the body he wore merely a plaything like so much else. It would be discarded when he no longer needed it. "I could just lock you back up where I found you," he called. "It isn't too late for me to seek assistance elsewhere…"

The words dangled in the air for a moment. Severely lacking patience he tapped his foot. Until he noticed a little silver thread that grew in the darkness. A gossamer shred that was attached to the gleaming, silver bodice of an eight legged creature. Had it truly been a spider, it would have been a different story, but this was no ordinary spider. "If you let them out to hunt and play you will find that they can prove extremely useful. So small, isn't she?" His eyes locked on the shining exoskeleton. "Imagine how many places she can go, how many things she can hear, how many humans she can infect with her bite."

Holding out his hand, he let the tiny creature come to rest in his palm. Deep inside, he had to admit that of all the demonic creations he had seen this was one of the most fascinating, if not the most lovely. "Sounds to me like you're begging a partnership. Are you?"

The enormous smile could be felt in the darkness. "We could make great allies, an unbeatable pair. You know I have no designs upon conquering this world anymore. So long as we are given food, you could have me and my working clan at your service- to fulfill your every whim."

A smirk flashed on the demon prince's face. In the palm of his hand a fire exploded, killing the smaller creature with a tiny shriek. "No deal," he hissed. Demons could never be trusted. Above him he heard the moan of outrage. Holding out his other hand he let another explosion light the room, this time the ball of flame hovering just above the so fragile human skin he wore. "Listen to me, and listen closely. You had better keep every fucking one of those eyes in your pretty, little head _trained_ on that boy in the corner. Do you understand me? Somehow he has been allowed to contact the outside. It is not going to happen again. His brother seeks him as well as his friends. We've both encountered their lot before, and both have been defeated by them." Collecting himself, the prince eyed his prize with contempt. "They will not win again. I will see to that. And as for you," he motioned upward to the gargantuan spider clinging to the wall. This time, the demon only smiled before slapping his palm against the wall, letting it burst into flame. A million tiny screams pierced the air as the offspring were destroyed.

"No! You can't do this! How will we get our work done if so many of us are killed?" The spider was trying to crawl further upwards, away. A demon so large, terrified of what the prince standing before him could do.

"You can always birth more," he replied simply. "But let it be a warning. Failure will not be tolerated. And keep your eyes on him!" Pointing to the shivering form in the corner he snarled and walked out the door, locking it securely after exiting. 

In the corner, the body of Ken watched the remnants of both fire and casualties burn and flake away from the wall. Part of him wanted to be thankful for the light. Another part of him wanted desperately to hide from the creatures that were now focused solely on him. They seemed to eye his flesh with desperate hunger. Huddling, naked inside his blood circle, Ken thought of his Daisuke and waited for him to come.

***

Shin Kido had risen early that morning, woken by the glimmering sunlight reflecting off the many picture frames in the bedroom. After getting out of bed he had looked back at the slumbering figure of his wife letting a tender smile touch his lips. She was so graceful, so beautiful, and even in repose her face was lit with joy. He was her senior by only three years, making her a young wife, but he loved her all the same. 

Their lives might have been simple, but at the very least they were happy. 

His morning passed uneventfully as every morning tended to. Stretching a little, he had reflected on his physique. It seemed time was catching up with him already. Showering and dressing Shin had moved into the kitchen and debated what type of breakfast he wanted. Ultimately, he had decided to brew a pot of coffee and settle down with a bowl of cereal after collecting the newspaper. He was still reading at the table when his wife woke up an hour or so later.

Jun, noticing the absence of another body in the bed she shared with her husband, had rubbed her still sleep filled eyes and gotten up. Deciding it was chilly she pulled on a bathrobe and set out to find her husband. A smile graced her features, making her eyes glow when she found him hunched over the paper in the kitchen. Their apartment was small, but for only two it served its purpose. Shin was seated at a counter on the far end of the kitchen, the balcony door illuminated with sunlight behind him. Sighing, she realized she had startled him. When he looked up and spotted his wife he gave her a dazzling smile.

Their morning continued on the same way. Normal and humble they talked about casual things. That evening they were supposed to have dinner with one of the families- his or hers, neither could remember. Aside from the fact that both husband and wife were quite content with their living quarters, they both found it bothersome being so close to their in-laws. Traditions be dammed, they needed separation and have often entertained the notion of moving all the way across the city. But the view off their balcony made them think twice, always. It was not an ocean view or really anything special. A simple overhang that looked out onto the street. Still, it was something they both cherished. They had grown up in this neighborhood and still loved it.

Afternoon came and they found themselves troubled. Shin had often joked that Jun had a sixth sense for certain things and they both began to wonder if it was acting up. Perhaps it had been the nostalgia of glancing through bookshelves and photo albums earlier in the day. Or perhaps not. Either way, Jun eventually turned to her husband. "Have you heard from Jyou lately?"

Shin paused a moment to think. His younger brother had always been something of a mystery to him. From the time of his adolescence, the younger Kido had been disappearing frequently to spend time with the same group of friends. Shin could remember each of their names and faces but could no longer recall any other distinguishing personality traits. Accepting Koushiro, naturally. Jyou would never have forgiven him if he had for one moment forgotten about the redhead. Smiling, Shin recalled the night the pair had come to visit him, back when he and Jun were still dating, had only first begun talking of marriage. For some reason his little brother had been filled with nervous tension. A gentle shake had formed sometime during dinner that Jyou had been unable to calm, until Koushiro had simply placed his hands over the younger Kido's and smiled. That was when he knew. Jun had been ecstatic that Jyou had found someone and had predicted years before that he belonged with the redhead. For his part, Shin had only hugged his still shocked brother and welcomed Koushiro to the family. Nothing could be made official, but it might as well have been. In the post dinner conversation they had tried to avoid mentioning it, but the topic would not go away. Jyou had told Shin, and only Shin, because he trusted him. He knew the rest of the family would never accept his love for Koushiro. Nodding together, Jun and Shin promised not to mention it to the Kido family. Then they had married. The wedding had been the last time he had seen his brother…

Jun was not sure if her husband had heard her, so she asked again. "Have you heard from Jyou lately? Or Koushiro for that matter?" The words were still hanging in the air when a buzzing sounded. Someone was waiting downstairs to be let in.

"You really should try gambling sometime, honey. We could end up filthy rich you know," he joked and went over to the intercom. "Yes?"

An electronic hum sounded from the speaker for a moment before a hesitant voice. "Shin? It's Jyou."

"I know," he replied. "Come on up." After hitting the button to allow his brother admittance he shook his head, still smiling. A few minted later he got a big surprise. Opening the door he found Jyou standing there, looking guilty as per the norm, and surrounded by his group of friends plus two new faces Shin could not recall. 

"I hate to ask this," Jyou began.

"We need your help," Koushiro cut him off. "Do you have a minute?"

***

Daisuke was running. He had been running for nearly a half an hour straight. Thanking every deity he could think of for the sport of soccer he risked a backward glance, determined there was no threat, but kept running. He knew he had a serious streak of good luck, and that would have to be repaid somehow. Although, having Ken taken from him seemed like enough. But Osamu would be after him, on his heels at any minute. Dai was luck enough to have warded him off, and doubly lucky to have found the door out of that god forsaken place the fey dared to call home.

The Child of Water had not even been able to get his hand into Daisuke's pants. Oh, he had tried though. He surely had tried. After biting on the smooth skin of Dai's neck, Osamu had lost himself in the moment of torturous bliss giving his captive a split second to make a decision. Try to use a psychic attack that seemed like it could easily backfire or just go for broke and try to punch Osamu? Decisions, decisions… Taking a breath, he had opted for the second plan and rammed an elbow into the fey's stomach with all of his might. Spinning as gracefully as any creature of light he had then punched Osamu and watched him collapse on the floor. Surprised at his own abilities, Daisuke had been smart enough to disarm the Child of Water and then began running. He had to find Ken. Beyond that, he desperately needed to find Sora and the others. And above anything else, he needed a drink of water- all the running was dehydrating him quickly. Still, the thought of water chilled him.

Sprinting across the street he plowed into a businessman without even realizing it. Apologizing, he continued on his journey. Daisuke spotted a pay phone and finally stopped his hectic pace. Clinging to the phone, as if it were his last hope he grabbed his card, inserted it and went to dial. Stopping, he thought for a moment. There were still creatures after him. How could he possibly put anyone at risk like that? Even if he wanted to find Ken, and he did- with all of his heart- Daisuke could never, would never endanger the lives of others. Retrieving his card he abandoned the phone. Ahead of him, he spotted the library. Seemed like sanctuary enough to him.

Once inside, he wandered amidst the stacks finally finding a row of chairs at the end of the section. Winded and trying to think of a plan he threw himself onto the cushion. Daisuke was exhausted but had to come up with a plan before he could rest. Thinking was causing him a lot of trouble though. He was so lost in thought he never heard the thing approaching him from behind. By the time he noticed it was far too late. As he caught a rough clip to the temple, he distinctly thought it was just not his day before the darkness took him again.

***

Shin sat at the counter in his kitchen staring at his brother, his eyes impossibly wide. Opposite him, Jyou began to fidget under the intense scrutiny. He would have really preferred to explain everything to his brother under much more favorable circumstances, but beggars can never, ever be choosers. Koushiro stood beside him, onyx eyes downcast. Behind the pair the rest of Jyou's friends inspected the living room.

"So, if I'm understanding you correctly here," Shin began, "you've all got these 'powers'. You're actually a pyrokinetic and that's why I haven't heard from you in three years. Your boyfriend is a telekinetic. You live with a bunch of other people who have similar gifts and a mysterious warrior named Ken. Jun's little brother suddenly comes waltzing into your lives after Ken saves his butt from a demon. They are later attacked and flee eventually running into Gennai and Mimi who bring it all back to you guys once more. In the meantime though, Ken's been kidnapped by a gang of demons and his brother has gone completely out of his gourd and taken Daisuke." He sat back for a moment. "Did I miss anything?"

"No, I think you've got the gist of it," Jyou replied calmly.

"Oh," Shin sounded almost disappointed. Thinking for a moment he looked at his brother again. "And why didn't you ever tell me about this?"

Rolling his eyes, Jyou pushed his glasses up a bit. "It's not exactly an easy thing to tell someone. I mean, I had already told you I was dating another guy how could I throw in, 'Oh yeah, Shin, by the way I can start fires by manipulating psychic energy'? That's a hard thing to work into a conversation."

Apart from the brothers, the telekinetic eyed Jun warily. "Are you all right?" His voice was quiet.

Biting her lip she raised her head and met his gaze. Worry, regret, fear, sorrow, anxiety, love… they all danced in her eyes. Blinking the stray emotions away, Jun coughed into her hand as she looked away again, then steadied herself and met the obsidian gaze once more. "Yeah, so where's my brother? Some psychotic waterboy has him?"

"That's Water Child," Ryo spoke up from his corner. He had been observing everything. This group could help his love, could make him better again. They might even be able to fix him. But they would need Daisuke, and things could only get better if he cooperated. Even if he played up his sex kitten image, Ryo was anything but stupid. "He's a sidhe actually. Quite a strong one too. Though, I think Daisuke could kick his ass if given the chance."

"Sweetie, you don't understand," Jun offered a tight smile. "I will kick his ass if given the chance. I will mop the floor with his face if given the chance."

"Jun," Koushiro tried to hush her.

"No, Koushiro, I'm fine!" 

"Daisuke can defend himself," Jyou added.

"I don't care," the young woman stated simply. "He could be a god and I wouldn't care. Because he is still my little brother. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She looked toward Ryo. "Do you?"

All the men who were listening to her paled visibly. An angry Jun Motomiya was nothing to laugh at. She may not harbor any psychic abilities, but the love she had for Daisuke, her younger brother, was a fearsome power on its own. Osamu would need to duck and cover.

"Now," she continued, "who's this Ken kid? And what is his relationship with my brother?" Jun had her priorities straight.

At this, Gennai felt it was time for him to intervene. "Ken's intentions towards your brother are nothing but honorable. In fact, I think he believes that he and Daisuke are, as some people would put it, soul mates." He smiled politely and bowed to the elder Motomiya sibling. She held faint traces of power, nothing like Daisuke, but it was considered rude not to acknowledge her.

"Well, so long he isn't some pervert or freak just after what's in Dai's pants that's fine." Think for a moment she chuckled. "He sounds a lot better than some of the guys Dai used to date."

"Indeed," Gennai nodded. "Though, I must admit a certain curiosity here. Did you know your brother is a being of awesome power? He can bend and shape this very world to his will if he so chooses. Any environment, big or small can be controlled by his emotions or thoughts."

Jun shrugged this comment off and decided to grab the kettle off the stove to make tea. "So? He's always been able to do that." Turning on the faucet she began to fill the kettle. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Someone's after him for all of that power," Koushiro sighed. "We don't know who yet…" He turned to the Child of Earth.

Ryo shook his head. "Osamu dealt with whomever it was. If I knew I would tell you. Honestly, I would." Pausing for a moment, he let his eyes drop to the floor as he winced, remembering the pain of his lover's blade. Remembering how he still loved him despite whatever damage had been done. It could not be undone at this point. "Even if it would kill me, I would tell you. As it is, he thinks I'm a traitor now and he's going to kill me. What have I got to lose?"

"Nothing," Jyou blinked, surprised he had not made this connection.

"And that makes you dangerous," Shin added.

***

For the second time in so few hours, Daisuke was returning to the realm of consciousness. His head ached as if it had been hit repeatedly with the Louisville slugger. An assortment of small pains made themselves well known in his back and joints. With mild irritation he realized he was lying on a dirty floor, curled up on his side. Rolling to sit up he grimaced at the tight pull of the muscles in his legs and lower back. Looking around he found he was in what resembled a prison cell. "Great," he muttered to himself. "This is just lovely." Rubbing his temples, he thought for a few moments and decided his next move was worth it even with his near migraine. "Hey! Anybody?! Could someone please come check on the prisoner out here? My back aches and I need to take a piss! Hello? Anybody out there?!"

As Dai continued to yell a door was thrown open somewhere in the room that he could not see. The cell he was in seemed to be part of an entire row. The person, or persons, who had entered came in at the far side of the row. When a masked figure stepped in front of the metal bars he was almost shocked that it appeared to be completely human. "Would you shut the hell up?"

Daisuke managed to crack a smile. "Make me," he shot back. "I've had a rough day and I don't think you want to fuck with me, asshole, so how's about letting me out of this cage?" Gesturing to the bars he was hoping to pull off something between bad boy and tough bastard. Being as tired and beat up as he was, he had to settle for just plain being a punk.

The figure shook its head moments before whipping off the mask. Definitely a human. Though, one with weird dressing habits. "You are in there for your protection, Daisuke." It was a young man, possibly not really any older than Daisuke himself. His hair hung in his eyes, a ragged sandy blond. His eyes were a bright blue. All in all, he looked suspiciously like Takeru, but the eyes were more than enough to set him apart. The psychic never had the definitive air of "badass" that this man seemed to give off.

"My own protection?" When the other nodded, Dai could not contain a snort. "Horse shit."

"We're out at the moment, but if you like I can have a fresh supply sent as soon as it's ready," he gave a wry smile. The voice was cracked, dry, and proud. 

"Look, this is the second time I've been taken hostage today and I'm really starting to not like it, so please let me out before I get really angry." It was expending most of his energy to not explode with emotion and splatter the blond man all over the walls, but he managed. After getting a peek at what the others had felt when he was on an emotional rant, he was beginning to get a rough idea of what he was capable of. A very rough idea.

"Define angry for me and I'll consider it." Blue eyes fixed on Daisuke's face. They were cool, collected. Eyes that had seen bad times. There was not much that would shock him.

Behind the bars, Daisuke's own eyes narrowed in challenge. "I could rip your head off from right here, you know. I wouldn't even have to leave this cell."

"So do it," the other replied calmly. "If you think you can, just do it and stop bragging."

Something about his demeanor was not adding up in Daisuke's head. He was far too calm, too rational. Most people did not behave this way in this kind of situation. Without any clues to go on, Dai tried to study the man again. Black, he wore an entirely black ensemble. A sheath, obviously for a sword was slung across his back. There were pockets noticeably added to his belt and pants. Something about him gave off an air of stealth. Spiced eyes widened for a moment when he tried to sneak into the blond's mind. "Whoa," he breathed. "You're a ninja? Damn," he grinned, "that's super cool. How much are they paying you to hold me?"

For his part, the blond tried not to have a coronary.

***

In the dark he sat. The fire had long since faded, nothing but ember remained. But he could still feel their eyes. Watching him, always watching him. Watching his every move. When he took a breath, they felt it and took one with him. When he shifted, they shifted as one moving with him. Always with him. It was beginning to bother him as well as frighten him. With the constant scrutiny he felt like he was being pulled into thousands of tiny pieces. Each bit of him was being spread out to one of the ones watching. But they could not invade his circle. He would remain safe for a while.

Above him, he could hear the larger one moving. They had been instructed to watch him while the thing that had been in the room looked for Daisuke. HIS Daisuke. In the darkness, he sat. His mind working on overtime because he had nothing else to do aside from think about his lovely, wonderful, perfect Daisuke. Shaking off thoughts of lust and desire, he concentrated on the task at hand. In the darkness, being carefully watched, he smiled slightly. Ken had a plan.

*************

yes, I know- sucky place to end it. This chapter didn't turn out quite how I wanted. And, Soltic, sweetie, I hope this appeases you. This one got cranked out just for you! -hugs- I've got to crash now- I'm freaking exhausted! There were other comments I had to add here, but fuck if I can remember them now. Review, I guess, but I won't make you. Oh, and hope you like the bit of "normalcy" with Shin and Jun… I just had to throw it in to demonstrate that there are regular people in this story too!!!


	7. 7

Notes: so, there's a whole host of reasons as to why this chapter took so long… all of which sound like something out of a sitcom or something. So, I'll skip the excuses and just apologize for the fact that this took so damn long. Sorry.

Warnings: homosexuality, violence, and we can't forget the vengeance… Ken & Dai have some scores to settle at this point…

Disclaimer: dun own, dun sue… would be pointless…

__

Shinwa- 7

After he had discovered some of his captor's secrets the blond had departed. Daisuke sat on the floor of his cell growing increasingly frustrated. He needed to have the man in the same room if he wanted to collect any information. Having tried to get out of the cell by using magic had proved fruitless and he had long since given up on short circuiting whatever power he might possess. However, the young man was beginning to wonder if he really did need the blond to be in the room. Smiling to himself, Dai settled on the floor and closed his eyes.

Picturing the blond man was easy- especially since he was the last person Daisuke had been in contact with. His mind slowly but surely built a steady, unwavering image of the ninja. It seemed traces of his captor were still lingering in the recesses of his brain. Interesting. Even the scent of the man seemed to hang in the air like another sort of psychic fingerprint. With the image assembled, Daisuke stopped a moment. How would he be able to find him? Ultimately, Dai decided to chance it and slowly pushed the image out- into what, he did not know, just out into something. 

At first the search yielded no results beyond a black void. But then something seemed to snap into a sharp, angry focus. With the scent, the clothing, the physical mental assembly Daisuke had composed he seemed to be hunting through psychic means. The world suddenly consisted of white noise and light. People moved in separate blurs of collective consciousness. Switching focus left, then right, Dai picked up a trail. A snake-like shadow that slithered through space. It smelled of skill, hard work, and simple brute force. 

Back in his cell, eyes still closed, Daisuke smiled. "Trippy," he whispered.

***

In the darkness, the body of Ken huddled inside the blood circle he had created. His plan was tricky and was dependent largely upon the pride of the gigantic creature that moved over his head. For the first time since his capture, he emitted sound. Ken coughed- not for attention, though he knew that it would garner it just the same. Contemplating just what to say, he found the enormous spider beat him to it.

"Yes, my dear child?"

The hiss came from above and at least fifteen yards ahead of him, Ken noted. Perfect. "What makes you think I want something?" He kept his voice flat, firm.

A rasping chuckle sounded in the darkness. "That is the first sound you have made since you were caught. Perhaps you wish to bargain? Make an exchange of information?" There was a pregnant pause before Ken heard exactly what he had been expecting. "I could help you, you know. There's still time before the demons completely corrupt your spirit again. You could become whole."

Seeming to deliberate this choice for a moment, he bit his lip in thought. "Somehow, I doubt you really want to help me," he finally responded. "I think, that if given the choice, you would prefer to eat me."

"Perhaps." There was silence for another series of moments. "But, perhaps we could help one another."

Ken heard the creature moving and risked rising to a crouch within the confines of his circle. "What are you doing?"

The demon gave another whispering laugh. "Simply moving closer to converse, child." It lowered from its great height, lumbering down the wall until it rested just in front of Ken's body. As close as it could move without triggering the barrier of the circle. "Do you know who I am?"

Thinking for a moment, he realized he should know but had no recollection. Knowing the demon could see him he shook his head in reply.

If a spider would smile, the demon would have. As it was, its cluster of eyes seemed to glitter, even in the darkness. "Very well then, I shall tell you…"

***

Ryo sat on the floor of the Kido apartment. He crouched, curled in on himself behind the sofa in the living room. The group knew where he was, but decided he was not a threat to them or himself so they let him be. Rocking back and forth, the Child of Earth caught bits and pieces of conversation from around the room. None of it mattered to him. All he knew was that he wanted to get to the target. He had to get Daisuke back in his possession. Then Osamu could be made whole, they could collect their reward, and he would be forgiven. But how to do it?

The Kido brothers had been right in saying that Ryo had nothing to lose. The fey was not afraid of dying, nor was he afraid of facing down an entire army of demons. So long as he could have his beloved Child of Water back in his arms, in his bed. Then everything would be all right once more. They had no need for Ken or Daisuke really… Osamu had seen to that years ago. Their elemental circle had been destroyed shortly after the younger of the brothers had been sold in the demon market. They had collected quite a high price for Ken too. Daisuke would most likely sell for much more than what their client was offering. In his madness, Ryo was willing to bet that Osamu had overlooked that fact.

Still, despite his nature to plot and plan things in accordance with the wishes of his lover… Ryo began to wonder just what would happen if he tried to collect Ken and Daisuke to fix the circle. They had never really been given a chance to see what would happen if all of their elements were aligned. And Daisuke could most certainly substitute as a Child of Fire. True to the nature of the circle, Fire and Earth would look similar just as Air and Water did. They would mirror one another in two pairs of darkness and light. With Osamu and Ken though, it was difficult to say which brother was which.

A solid slap connected with the back of Ryo's head. He never saw where, or who, it came from, he simply lashed out in his natural way. Beside the sofa was a fireplace- complete with wood for decoration. Though it could never be used, the hearth made the room look familial. However, all Ryo could see in it was that it consisted of brick, mortar, and wood- all pieces of his true element. Aiming only at his antagonist, he called the bricks from their places and wove the mortar into a net. Once his trap solidified, he forced the wood to swell and grow into something much too big to fit in its designated place as a "decoration". A wooden box enclosed his foe, then was surrounded by brick. It happened within seconds as part of Ryo's fighting instinct and gave the others in the room no time to react. Even Gennai could not conjure anything that quickly.

Ryo smirked at his creation. Normally, at that point Osamu would slowly begin to fill the box with water. Since the fluid was of mystical origin it did not effect the mortar to soften it and the net kept the captive from rising with the surface level to catch extra air and find a means of escape. All in all, it was quite an effective method of torture. Not so long ago, Ryo and Osamu had used the box on several demons as well as humans… The Child of Earth stopped for a moment, reverie broken.

Muffled screams sounded beyond the barrier of brick and wood. Without really giving it much thought, Ryo had started to fill the box with soil in place of water. Not quite as terrifying, but it would still smother the captive. A strange light of feral bloodlust went out behind his caramel eyes. He called the bricks away and disassembled the box as quickly as he had put it together before lurching over the sofa to kneel beside his prey. On the floor, Taichi stared at the Child of Earth for a few seconds before screaming again and scrambling away. Still kneeling, Ryo looked up as Yamato embraced his lover to comfort him.

"Next time," the Child of Earth said, "don't hit me to get my attention."

***

Osamu shook. The fine tremble of rage and betrayal ran from his fingertips to his legs. All he had been doing was having a bit of fun with his beautiful captive and how had he been repaid? That little whelp had hit him and run off. Any lingering ideas of collecting a bounty vanished from Osamu's mind. No one hit him. No one tried to use magic on him. And certainly, someone who had been able to escape would not last very long at all.

Typing furiously the Child of Water ran nearly a dozen simultaneous location scans for Motomiya. No signal anywhere. Not even a trace left in the air. Which meant someone had grabbed him and was holding him for one reason or another. Had Daisuke met an untimely end by that point there would most certainly have been traces of him hanging in the atmosphere. The Adepts were known for going out with style to say the very least. Remnants of soul would be left flitting about the earth. Something would have been left. Yet, it was just as if the man had disappeared completely. This did nothing to sway Osamu's quest. If anything, it made him work harder.

Fingers moving with supernatural speed over his keyboards and touch-screens, the fey scowled. There was no video feed or anything to give a movement pattern. Whoever had picked Daisuke up had been very thorough in covering his tracks. The space in which Osamu lived was well monitored, but he ran out of video feed after the last frame of Motomiya bolting out the main door. That alone was quite impressive. Only Osamu and Ryo knew the secrets of their living quarters. They had painstakingly traced runes and other spells into the very walls to create confusion to any who dared wander the corridors. But it seemed Daisuke had had no difficulty getting out.

Osamu snarled. Things were not looking good for him. His fingers stopped for the briefest of moments over the keyboard. Deliberating on whether he should contact his client about the prey he opted to wait. No sense letting the demons know he had lost the Adept. Still, it could be worth it for the tradeoff of having his beloved little brother back in his home again. It had been so very long since he had heard Ken scream…

Shaking himself free of his memories, Osamu continued his searches. Not five minutes later he yelled out a slew of curses and threw one of his boards against the wall. Someone had hacked into his system.

***

Koushiro smiled- a simple thinning of his lips, but it was a sure sign that he was pleased. Ryo had finally volunteered to help them track Osamu's dealings with the client. If they could find whoever had ordered Daisuke captured then perhaps they could find Ken as well. At the back of his thoughts Koushiro was still worrying over one of the last things Dai had said before being taken. Ken had been split. Things were not looking good.

"Ha! I'm in!" The redhead crowed from his perch at the keyboard. The system of firewalls and ethereal protection Osamu had set up had been all too easy to get past. Now, to find some sort of clue as to what he was doing hunting Daisuke…

Huddled on the floor, Ryo watched as Koushiro ripped through the system with blinding ease. Allowing a smile he said quietly, "We should have used better security. The computers were way too easy for you to get into." As soon as the words left his mouth he felt the point of a knife touch his throat.

"You don't speak unless spoken to," Miyako's voice was stern. 

From the computer, Koushiro waved a hand in the Pagan's general direction. "No, Miyako, it's okay. If he has things he needs to tell me about this system it might be useful in making this go a lot faster. I mean, we don't even know if Daisuke was able to escape or not at this point. He could be holed up in a cage somewhere with only Osamu to keep him company."

Smirking a little, Miyako shook her head. "Good point." She noticed the way Ryo's face seemed to be twitching. "You have something to say then you'd better spit it out."

"Check the video feed," the Child of Earth offered softly. The Pagan woman seemed to have a special vendetta against him. Being so close to her was making the fey's thoughts jumbled as he started to panic. 

Jyou peered over his lover's shoulder to check his progress and then glanced back to their captive. A medical degree was completely unnecessary to see that Ryo was on the verge of lashing out full-tilt again. "Miyako, get away from him." The pyrokinetic stood tall, face grim. "I think you're scaring him a little too much. If he's hyperventilating it'll be that much harder to get him to share any information."

"You're the expert on that one, Jyou," the older Kido brother elbowed his sibling in the ribs with a grin. "How are your allergies anyway?"

"Um, they're fine. Look, can we find something else to talk about?"

Shin blinked at his brother for a moment. "Oh… right. Sorry, it's just," he turned away. "I don't know, Jyou." Nodding in the direction of the more private areas of the apartment he turned and proceeded towards the bedroom he shared with his wife.

Noticing a few raised eyebrows from the group, Jyou simply shrugged and followed his brother. He missed the questions that immediately sprang from Taichi upon his departure. "Allergies? Like, really bad ones? Are we talking the kind where Jyou was one of those Coke-bottle glasses, pants pulled up to his nipples, had a permanent wedgie, and got his ass beat every day kind of nerd?"

Sighing, Koushiro saw that there was no way he was escaping answering the empath. "Yes, Taichi. Jyou was a nerd. And now he's my nerd, complete with much thinner glasses. And if you don't shut up I'm going to throw you into a wall, or maybe just off the balcony." His search of Osamu's database was not going well.

"Hey, don't get your panties in a knot, Kou," Tai snickered. "I was just asking."

***

Staring at his brother, Jyou waited for something that felt like it was never going to happen. "Shin? Is this about my abilities?"

Shin stopped his pacing for a moment to stare thoughtfully at the floor. "Well, there's that too. It's just… I don't know, Jyou. Something feels really wrong about all of this."

Folding his arms the pyrokinetic tilted his head a bit. "How do you mean?"

"Even I don't remember meeting Daisuke. Doesn't that strike you as just a little bit odd?"

"Yes, just a bit." He frowned at his brother. "You don't remember him at all?"

Shin shook his head. "Not a thing. Hell, he was in my wedding and I couldn't even tell you if he had fun at the reception or not!"

Jyou smiled a little. "Rest assured, he seems like the type who likes a good party. I'm positive he had a good time." Chewing his lip in thought for a moment, he finally added, "I'm still a little freaked out that Ken was there though. And that none of us spotted him. He does sort of stand out even if he is wearing a glamour when we see him…" He continued muttering to himself for a few minutes before there was a knock on the door.

Jun poked her head into her bedroom. "Koushiro is asking for you, Jyou. The group seems to be thinking about what they want to do."

Nodding, Jyou turned to his brother for a moment and noticed that Shin was turned away lost in thought. Sadness flowed over his face for a second before he merely turned and left the room, allowing Jun to step inside.

"Shin," she ran a hand down his back, "are you okay?" When he shrugged she leaned up to kiss his shoulder. "Koushiro says it looks like my brother got away."

"That's good," the reply was bland. Turning to his wife, Shin traced a hand down her cheek to cup her chin. "Do you remember him at all?"

Eyebrows knit in confusion Jun laughed a little. "Of course I do! Why?"

"No, I mean from our wedding day-"

"Yes. He made an absolutely beautiful toast to us and managed to spill wine on his tux after trying to force feed his date. Don't you remember? We have it on video too." A sense of unease welled up in her chest.

"I can't remember him at all, Jun. It's like my brother said… none of us can remember Daisuke." Pulling his wife into an embrace he whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry."

"For what? My brother's a spastic reject most of the time." She softened for a minute. "Don't worry about it. We'll get this all sorted out and you'll remember how you almost strangled him at our rehearsal dinner."

***

Hours later Daisuke was still seated on the floor of his cell. Staring up at his blond captor he let his eyes fill with innocence. His efforts at performing, however, were going unappreciated.

"Don't look at me like that! I know you were in my head earlier. I could fucking feel you moving around in there. What were you looking for, eh?" The blond man was seething. His privacy had been completely violated and all he was trying to do was help.

Finally, Daisuke spoke. "Look, I know how you feel. Personally I always hated it when reporters or whoever would just push into my past or try to get a deeper look at who I might or might not have been…" Shaking his head, Dai apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't even know I could do it, but I at least had to try."

That caught the ninja's attention. A head full of blond hair snapped up, cold eyes fixed in the general direction of the prisoner. "What? You didn't know you could…?" His shoulders sagged a little. "Shit you're going to be a lot of trouble."

"That's exactly what Ken said to me," Dai gave a soft, sad smile. "Do you know where he is? I need to get to him."

The blond bit his lip and had to look away. "He's the reason why I'm keeping you here. Believe me, if I could let you out so that you could go to him, I would. But I can't." It was all so unfair. Fortunately enough, the blond had been trained to hide certain bits of information- to mix them into his aura so that any telepaths would be unable to read him. It had been hellacious training, but worth it in the end.

A quick flare of his temper and Daisuke was on his feet. "What do you mean by that?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," the ninja offered over his shoulder. "Ken is always able to find you when he wants to. You can't ever escape him Motomiya."

Cinnamon eyes sparked with anger and flared wide as he clenched his hands. He was trying to keep his anger in check but his opponent was making things awfully difficult. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Stop being so cryptic and give me a damn answer… _Wallace_."

Dai's deliberate use of the name struck just the right cord. "Fine," the blond said flatly. "I'll tell you what you want to know. But first we're setting a couple ground rules. One- you don't ever go in my head again. Is that clear? No fucking snooping around in there for shit that's got nothing to do with you."

"Fine," Daisuke's voice was hard, his anger temporarily abated. "And two?"

Wallace nodded. "Two- you're going to have to understand that I can't let you out. I've been instructed not to and I know what will happen to me if I fail. You cannot be allowed to get loose, Motomiya. There's a lot of mystical, magical shit riding on you and Ken at the moment and you running around Tokyo with your newfound Adept hardon would only cause trouble." Despite his stern demeanor, the ninja was trying his best to keep fear at bay. Oh he knew Daisuke was angry- the very air was becoming stifling with heat and rage. But there was nothing the blond could do about that.

The prisoner frowned at this bit of information. "No deal," he stated. "I'm sorry, but I don't agree to those terms-"

"Well that's too god damn bad for you then. If you'd shut up and listen I'd almost be willing to tell you why I can't let you out of that cage. And why you haven't been able to escape it either. But only if you'll sit back and calm down for a minute. It's getting a little hard to breathe in here." Wallace eyed the other man, watching as he slowly thought over his options. Of course, Daisuke realized he had no choice.

"As if I really had a say in the matter anyway," Dai muttered and sat back down on the floor.

The blond smirked. "As long as we're on the same page, Motomiya. Everything will be just fine so long as you cooperate." He pulled a stool away from the wall and placed it in front of the cell. Taking a seat on it he looked up at his pouting captive and smiled. "Don't worry, he'll find you. I wasn't kidding before. You'll never escape him. Never."

"What the shit are you talking about? Stop being so cryptic, Wallace. Or, I promise you, I'll find a way out of this cage and when I do-"

"What? You'll kill me? I hardly think so, Motomiya." The blond smirked again. "You're not the murdering type." Coughing, he cleared his throat. They were in for the long haul. "I was talking about Ken. He always knows where you are, always has, always will." He let that information settle in for a moment before speaking again. "I know the kitsune hinted at some of this when you stayed at his place. But… let me put it this way- the reason you can't go anywhere is Ken, plain and simple."

Daisuke thought about that for a moment. Why would Ken be the reason? Shaking his head, he finally admitted, "I don't follow you."

"Ken's the one who gave me orders not to let you out of there."

***

Somewhere, within the many districts of the city a light shimmered. Slowly and surely that light was being attacked. For a few moments the light had flickered, but it was safe now. Secure in its hope and faith. But darkness loomed heavy around it waiting, watching. Looking for that one moment when the light would let down its guard. Still, it glittered and shone with complete hope. Because somewhere inside that light lay a memory. A clinging attachment to the physical world- a realm of flesh and blood.

Hovering amidst the darkness the light gripped at the last fleeting recollection it had. A name, a face, a body, a shape… a personality, a human. Something so simple as a memory seemed an easy thing for the darkness to swallow whole. But just as the gloom had trickery to deceive and capture, so the light also had secrets. And the secret lay locked within the memory floating… somewhere in the city.

Ken's soul, still not fully conquered by demons… He held on- alive with the imprint of a man burned into his mind. Someone who could save him, whom he could save, whom he could love and be loved by…

He knew his body was hidden somewhere. Stashed in some secret cubbyhole behind the twists and turns that made up Tokyo. Yet he had faith- he knew the man in his memory could find it. However, time was running out.

Whispering, with lips of intangible auric crystal, Ken continued to hold on with all of his strength. "Hurry, Daisuke…"

***

Inside his blood circle, the body of Ken stood- still listening to the demon spider that kept drifting closer and closer in the darkness. "So, you're the Jishin-Mushi… interesting." Turning away, he let the creature study his back, let it think he was bored. "You know the legends say you're a male, they say you cause earthquakes. They also say that you were burned and horribly scarred before being sealed beneath the ground."

"Lies," the spider hissed. "All lies! Simple tales told by humans so that they can sleep better at night. Besides, you've seen the children I birth. I could never be male. Such nonsense you've heard."

Turning back to the demon, he smiled and put his hands on his hips. "Oh come now, I heard what the demon prince said when he was in here. He set you free. Which means you were sealed up in the ground." He stopped for a moment and let his smile grow devilish. "A pity you were all alone…"

The dry sound of laughter answered that statement. Moving down the wall with unnerving speed, the spider paused just above and outside of the circle. Close enough to touch, but not close enough to reach the barrier. "I'm never alone. My lover is always with me." At that, she shifted her great body once again and dropped to the floor to let her side face the circle.

The breath caught in his throat. She had not lied. Wrapped and withered within the bodice of the demon, he could see the lines of a body- mummified by time. He could only hope the man trapped within the spider's body was dead. Yet, as he looked closer, he saw two eyes, not quite violet and not quite red, rolling around in their sockets. The face was withered much like all of the mummy's remaining flesh. But when he saw Ken's body… he smiled, and his eyes twinkled.

The fey body took a step back, barely within the borders of its own circle. Some part of his mind was screaming with recognition but it was buried beneath layers and layers of the white noise of fear. The small part of him was screaming that he had heard stories of the Jishin-Mushi seducing her lover into visiting her one night and had swallowed him. Not that her lover had complained- after all, it meant he would be joined with his beloved for all of time. Shaking his head, he tried to focus and found it difficult. Something about the horror of seeing a mummified man trapped and… _happy_ within the body of a demon bothered him. It only took him a few seconds to recover from the shock of it all, and then he was ready.

"That's quite the scare tactic," he whispered quietly. She was so close now; he could hear every small shift she made in the dark. She was close enough that he could see her, or at least her faint outline. It gave him chills to think of how her lover must appear in full light. The thought nearly made him sick. He shook himself. No. He had to stick with his plan. "Brilliantly played, my lovely demoness. Very well done," he let his voice go cold, tried to fill himself with ice- to steel his stripped mind against what he was about to do.

"I always think so," the spider hiss quietly. "He loves me and is quite happy there… and he's enough for me to bear children when they are needed and to feed on when I am too tired to hunt."

Ah, there it was. The hint that she was hungry. That she would be willing to bargain on a trade- let her feed on his blood and she would help him escape. The body of Ken chuckled in the darkness. Even without his memories, he was no fool. She would kill him as soon as she had the chance. Better that he kill her first- or at least try. Moving silently, he knelt and let his hand make a quick pass over the floor to draw fresh blood. As the fluid welled up in his palm he saw the great creature stop. A deadly and still shadow against the larger darkness.

"Hungry aren't you? You know, we could always make a deal," he let his voice whisper against the air. As though he was not really speaking, but that he was letting his voice guide her thoughts. "A drink of my blood and perhaps you'd be willing to show me the way out…"

Only a little closer…

The demoness shifted again. Dozens of eyes narrowed on the source of food. "Sounds like a fair plan to me."

One more tiny step…

He smiled. "Well then, I've left the circle now. You can come over here and get me." Waving his hand in the air he knew the scent of his recent wound would cover the older smell of the boundaries. Eyes focused against the shadows he saw her still, readying to strike.

The Jishin-Mushi moved with blinding speed… but as the empty shell of Ken's body had discovered, he was fast too. He ducked her just in time tracing patterns on the floor as he did so. She lunged at him, hissing in frustration. "Come on," he whispered back, "what's a little foreplay?"

Attacking again, this time the demoness spit venom as she moved. Perfect. He let his blood drip over her poison and traced patterns on the floor just beyond her line of sight- even with her many eyes. Absolutely perfect. He stopped moving and stood up tall to watch her. The spider tried again to move in for the kill… only to find a nice, neat barrier keeping her bound. 

"Some of you just never learn," he sneered. "Didn't you realize you were only chasing me in circles?" He laughed when the demoness shrieked in anger. Just as he had protected himself, he had trapped the Jishin-Mushi within a blood circle. Only this time, he had traced runes and symbols outside the barrier and let it mix with the captive's own magicks. She was most definitely trapped for a while as the runes slowly siphoned her life away. Exactly as he had planned.

Pulling open the door he called over his shoulder, "And the next time you see your boss tell him I'll be coming for him soon." With that said, and a smirk firmly in place, he left- the howl of rage at his back.

***

With Osamu's database hacked, Koushiro was finally able to confirm a few things. One: Daisuke had managed to escape before anything violent occurred. Two: they could find no trace of him anywhere. Three: neither could Osamu. In summation, they were back where they started.

"Is there any chance Osamu can trace this magically?" Iori was stern in addressing Ryo. After witnessing the way the Child of Earth lashed out when threatened, they all seemed to be taking precautions.

Thinking for a moment, Ryo shook his head. "No. We built in a lot of security and tracery systems but nothing for the network- unless he did it himself."

Tilting his head and studying the fey, Taichi tried to collect some sort of emotional signal from him and came up empty handed. "Why are you being so helpful?"

When he glanced at Tai, Ryo noticed how the other immediately backed away- once again to the safety of his lover's arms. "Because I love Osamu, and you might be able to bring him back." He blinked caramel colored eyes and shrugged. To him, the logic was simple.

Chuckling a bit, Gennai spoke up. "You do realize it will take much more than what you are expecting, don't you? A fey who is lost is difficult to regain."

"Which is what's going to happen if we don't get to Ken soon," Sora cut in. "I hate to break up the sentimental moment and all, but we've got to focus."

Mimi hugged her girlfriend. "Don't worry, we'll find him."

"Indeed," the kitsune added. "If Daisuke is loose then it is only a matter of time before Ken goes to him."

Koushiro looked up from the computer screen he had been studying. "What do you mean? And if what Daisuke said earlier is true, I'm not so sure how that could work. If Ken has been split it will make things that much more difficult."

Gennai simply shook his head. "You misunderstand me. It does not matter how many pieces Ken is broken into. He will always be able to find Daisuke, no matter the circumstance or nature." He paused, deliberating and taking a deep breath. "I told you before that Ken is a Guardian. And he considers Daisuke to be his. That there is nothing-"

"Yes, yes, I know," Koushiro waved a hand at the kitsune. There were a few glances between the two from the others in the room.

"I hate to be the one asking questions, but what are you talking about?" Hikari's voice was soft. None of the group liked being left out of the loop.

Sighing, the telekinetic motioned to the kitsune. "Do you want to take this one, or shall I?"

"By all means," Gennai gave a gentle smile. He knew this was a strenuous task, not to mention a difficult thing to understand. And as Koushiro began to explain the connection between Ken and Daisuke, Gennai could only hope the others would process and accept the information as soon as possible. After all, there was still the matter of demons and fey to deal with.

***

Wide-eyed and completely bewildered, Daisuke sat, mouth hanging open. Wallace had explained the status of Ken's Guardianship and slight obsession. Given the recent things he had learned he could do and handle, it was no wonder that Dai found this extra bit of information a bit much to take on. "He _watched_ me? For all those years, he just fucking stood by and watched me? And now…" he swallowed. 

If he had been a different sort of person, Wallace would have felt bad revealing the truth. However… "Ken loves you, Daisuke. Make no mistake about that. But he is going to be extremely possessive of you until you can prove that you can handle your own shit."

Nodding, he just sat on the floor of his cell, still trying to make sense of it all. It would explain a few things. Like the inexplicable draw between himself and the fey. The way Ken had seemed so standoffish at their first actual encounter. Then again, if Ken had been watching for all of those years, why would he be so blatantly rude?

"He might have seemed a little cold when you first interacted with him," the ninja offered. "That's only because he's been trying to push away that feeling of obsession."

"Sure," Daisuke replied absently. That one hurt a little bit. Although, some of the blond's story would explain why he felt so compelled to be with Ken, to be near him, to _have_ him. As it was, the ninja was a member of the Circle of Guardians, but only out of familial obligation. Typically, only the fey or even the demi-fey could keep watch over an Adept. Largely because only the sidhe had the power to control them if necessary. Or to keep their abilities on a tighter leash before they were fully understood. Yet, Ken seemed to be an exceptional case. He had become a guardian through the extensive recommendations of Gennai. However, it seemed no one had told him exactly why, or what he was doing. Ken had been given a few books of prophecy to read and had found out about the Adept without knowing what he truly was. It was odd, given that a fey should have been able to sense Daisuke's power. After some time though, Ken failed to realize that he was attracted to Dai. To him it was only supposed to be a job- watch him, make sure he stayed alive, and never directly approach him unless necessary. It seemed that last bit had been important as a lot of the appointed Guardians lost track of the young Adept only too easily. Apparently, it had been difficult to find someone suitable to watch over Daisuke. He had to laugh at that. Even Dai was willing to admit he was a handful for the unwary. Still, Ken had only been appointed as his Guardian within the past few years, which meant someone had to have been filling the role before then. Cue Wallace at that turn. His family had maintained a shrine outside of Kyoto for countless years, well aware of the mystical creatures that dwelt in Japan. They had offered the services of their only son as a simple act of faith. Quite frankly, Daisuke thought it was all more than a little unfair. "Doesn't it ever bother you?"

"Doesn't what bother me?" The blond stood up from the stool he had been sitting on and stretched.

"That you were just volunteered for this gig without a choice. I mean, that's not really fair to you. You could've had a normal-"

"A normal life?" He shook his head. "No, Daisuke. There is no such thing as a normal life for me. Besides, I've never known anything different. And really, it's not bad at all- aside from worrying about whether I've pissed off Ken or not. I mean, I got to learn a lot of folklore, I can kill a man at least one hundred different and very painful ways, I don't have to pay taxes ever, and really, the whole ninja lifestyle kinda suits me." Giving a thin smile he registered the complete astonishment in the captive's eyes. 

"Sounds like you got the short end of the deal to me, man." Even if never paying taxes and being a stealth master did sound more than a little appealing.

"You don't have a choice either you know. Being an Adept isn't something you can really turn down." Removing the stool from Dai's line of sight, Wallace peered back into the cell, noticing the fading light in the other man's eyes.

"Yeah, don't remind me."

At that precise moment, another voice sounded- cold, crisp, concise. "Don't be upset, my Daisuke. Everything will be just fine. You'll see." 

Both Daisuke and Wallace stared in awe as Ken's body stepped into the room. Looking more than a little worse for the wear, not to mention completely nude the fey gave a smile that was all for Daisuke.

***

"Son of a bitch! If I find that little whelp I'll slice his fucking skin open, drink his blood, and feast on his stinking flesh!" The demon whirled in the darkness. Furious with the failure of the Jishin-Mushi, he was ready to extract vengeance on the closest living organism. "How could you be so utterly, fucking _STUPID_?! You idiot!"

The ranting continued for quite some time. After the prison had departed for places unknown, the demon prince had returned to the cell only to find the large spider caught inside her blood circle. She had informed him of what happened, much to his irritation.

"I should just leave you there to rot!" He stopped for a moment and seemed to be thinking. Slowly, a wicked, gleaming grin curled about his face. "No," he whispered, "I know what I'll do with you." Stepping forward, he broke the blood circle with a minute amount of effort. Grabbing the spider demon's short, silvery hair he hissed at her: "I'll leave you to his friends. They bound you once before and they can do it again." Throwing her aside he sneered, "You're pathetic. I don't know why I even bothered freeing you in the first place."

After he stormed out of the room, the Jishin-Mushi sat on the floor. Biting her lip in thought she fought so hard not to cry. Her only chance at freedom- gone in an instant. And all because of some stupid little Elemental fey. In the darkness her eyes flared with fire. Someone would pay for this. "Wait, my Lord! I might know a way to track them," she called out and scuttled after the demon prince. Both were eager for revenge. A taste of magical blood and the sound of screams…

***

"So, let me make sure I understand you," Takeru was confused. "The demons who took Ken split his soul from his body?"

Koushiro nodded. "Exactly."

"What the hell for?" Taichi seemed to think the idea was entirely stupid, having said as much after Koushiro's initial explanation. "Wouldn't they need Ken's body in order to completely mess him up for life?"

"Not really," the telekinetic sighed. As he struggled to find words, he was surprised to hear someone else take over the conversation.

"They probably plan to corrupt his soul and then reinsert it back into his body. Ultimately, that would make Ken an even more fierce killing machine than the warrior boy we all know and love," Mimi stated. Expression grave, she knew the others would start asking questions soon. "Seems to me like this is probably the same group that's after Daisuke. Only someone like Ken would be able to capture and contain him, especially after corruption."

"And you know this how…?" Tai raised an eyebrow.

Everyone in the room noticed the way Mimi seemed to cower behind Sora, hoping her girlfriend would protect her. "While I was gone a few things happened. I had to learn demon etiquette real fast." She swallowed, not wanting to finish. When she felt a gentle touch on her wrist, she looked up into Sora's chestnut eyes.

"They marked you," the touch sensitive whispered. Eyes filling with tears, she bit her lip and tried to fight them off. "Let me see it, Mimi. Please. I need to know…"

Mimi shook her head violently. "No, Sora. I'm not showing you this now. We've got other, more important things to look into-"

"Don't give me that! You were gone for far too long for me to just let certain things go anymore. Stop hiding from me, Mimi," Sora's voice dropped lower. "We can go into another room and you can show me. Because I'm not letting this go. Not this time."

Silence thickened and everyone held their breath until Mimi nodded. She knew when to give in. Motioning for Sora to follow her, she asked Jun where the bathroom was. Once the pair was locked in, she let out a heavy sigh. "Before we do this, I just want you to understand a few things. I left because I was scared of my power. It had nothing to do with you. And I know that doesn't make up for what I did, but I do love you, Sora. More than anything."

"I know," Sora cut in. "And I love you too." Leaning forward in the small space, she placed a tender kiss on Mimi's lips. "Just show me," she whispered. Explanations could wait for another time.

Mimi nodded and turned around, lifting her shirt as she did so. "I just want you to understand that I came to terms with this while I was gone." She spoke in even, measured tones knowing full well that Sora was staring at the scarred mark in the exact center of her back. Almost three years old, it was a scar left by a pyrotic when she had been in the wrong place at the entirely wrong time.

Sora stared at the mark willing herself to touch it. She knew if she ran her fingertip over the puckered surface of the scar she would be able to find the one who did it. The scar was small, exact, and in simple kanji that spelled out _otoru_- to weaken a person's power. The mark was designed to cut Mimi's power out, away. And try as she might, Sora still could not touch the scar. A few slow tears slid down her face. "We'll find a way to fix this," she promised.

"I've already proven it wrong though," Mimi spoke over he shoulder. "I flew- I found Ken, or what must have been his soul."

Lips set in a grim line, Sora had to ask the next question. "Did it feel like something was missing?"

Thinking about that, Mimi knew what her girlfriend was hinting at. "Yeah," she admitted softly. "Yeah, it did."

Silence overtook the bathroom. Outside the rest of the group waited, each wondering what was happening.

***

Wallace was alert in an instant. "Ken?" No, not Ken. That much was clear. But somehow it was. Shaking his head in confusion, the blond felt his hand automatically reach for one of his knives. 

Turning to the ninja, Ken's body stared at him blankly. He knew the man, how he was unsure of. Ultimately, Ken decided he was of no importance so he shrugged and turned back to the burgundy haired man in the cell. "Hello, my Daisuke," he smiled.

"Ken," Dai's voice squeaked despite all of his efforts to stop it. "Um, maybe you should look into finding some clothes?" Letting out a nervous laugh he realized Ken had a one-track mind. "Where have you been?" 

"With the Jishin-Mushi. She told me what's been happening. I know who's after you now and why. And I know part of me is missing." Shrugging he pulled the locked door of the cell open with ease and stepped inside. The display of strength was more than a little alarming to Daisuke.

Struggling to keep his mind focused, Dai stumbled as he stepped back. "Then why are you-"

"Daisuke, my perfect Daisuke… shut up." With that, Ken rushed forward and kissed the Adept for all he was worth. Even without his soul the fey loved Dai unquestioningly. The kiss was full of heat and passion. Holding onto his precious treasure, Ken felt a sense of rightness deep within. Having the beautiful, burgundy haired man was a rare and delicious treat. Filling the kiss with promise, Ken let his tongue claim what had been his only hope in the darkness of the blood circle. 

And it was all Daisuke could do to not melt into the sensation. Some part of him knew that time was a factor, that there were things that needed to be dealt with. But, it was Ken kissing him. The fey he had felt so empty without. Still, eventually Daisuke had to end the kiss- particularly after he heard a quiet cough from elsewhere in the room. Gently prying Ken's body off, he glanced over at Wallace who looked away quickly. "Is he glowing to you too, you pervert voyeur?"

Scowling at the insult, the ninja rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips. "Now that you mention it… yes, actually. He's glowing."

"So it's a safe bet that people probably saw him as he wandered over here?" Doing his best to keep Ken at bay, Daisuke shivered when he felt a warm rush of air at his neck. If the blond man would just leave them alone for a few minutes…

Wallace shook his head. "You don't understand magick well enough yet, do you? Simply because Ken's been separated it doesn't mean one version or the other is powerless. Magick such as a fey's or even an Adept's exists at a genetic level."

That made him stop and think. Pushing Ken back firmly, Daisuke stared at the ninja who still stood outside the cell. "I thought all the myths said it comes from the power of the soul…"

"In part," the blond was cynical. "There is a small piece of personal magick that comes from the soul, almost like a key. But mostly it's just genetics." He shrugged. "With advances in science it's been determined that a person's abilities on a magical level exist much like those on an athletic level or artistic level."

"Give it up for modern technology, I guess." The news depressed Daisuke quite a bit. "So, I'm just the luck of the draw then, right?"

"No, Daisuke," Ken spoke up. "You are very special. Truly unique. Even he must know that," motioning to the blond, he made a face. When Dai turned to look at him, he stepped forward and cupped his face. "You have compliments but only one equal, one match. Only one being exists to rival you in power and spirit."

"You've regained some memory then," Wallace was cautious. If the body was remembering it meant one of two things. Either Ken's genetic power that resided in his body was strong enough to call his soul, or the demon's were putting it back. When the fey merely shrugged, the ninja decided it must be his personal power. "I'll get you some clothes, Ken."

"Yes," he nodded. "And then we'll find the others so that they can keep Daisuke safe while we hunt down the demons."

Pulling away from the protective hold of Ken's arms Daisuke raised an eyebrow. "Keep me safe? I don't think so. Not after your brother…" When Ken's head snapped in his direction, Dai saw two piercing indigo eyes narrow. No matter what kind of power he held at that point, it was clear that Ken was still deadly.

"What did my brother do?" The words were arctic and made Daisuke shiver.

"Um, he just kidnapped me and brought me to his fucked up little lab that he calls home. That's all." No need to mention that Osamu would have raped him if given the chance. Not with Ken ready to go on a homicidal rampage at a moment's notice.

"You're hiding something from me," Ken declared. Indigo eyes flashing like wildfire it was obvious to any observer that if he found out what Osamu had done the Child of Water would be finding out just how mortal the fey really were. 

Looking to Wallace for some support, he saw the blond shrug. Damn uncaring, ninja bastard. "Ken's soul is the seat of his emotions. Everything that is light and positive resides there." Wallace was careful in his explanation. He knew full well- better than most- what a soulless Ken was capable of. Only the kitsune had been able to tame him.

"So with just the body…" Daisuke began to fidget under the intense scrutiny of Ken's glare.

The blond did his best to look sympathetic. "If I were you, I'd answer the damn question."

*************

ghetto Kensuke/Daiken action… I know. And I'm truly sorry this took me so damn long. A lot of things happened that were unexpected and highly problematic. The next chapter will DEFINITELY be out in much less than a month. Review or criticize as you choose.


	8. 8

Notes: glad people are still actually reading this. Makes me feel all loved about life. In any event, there are only two or three more chapters after this one- beyond that… who knows?

Warnings: eh heh… you'll just have to wait and see…

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, as much fun as that would be.

__

Shinwa- 8

Mimi and Sora had emerged from the bathroom greeting the others with empty eyes. No one wanted to discuss what had happened. With the silence in the room thickening the tension was becoming stifling. Someone had to break it. Naturally, Taichi opted to speak first- since he hated prolonged awkwardness more than anyone else.

"So…" his voice was loud. "What are we going to do about Ken? I mean, I know he's all split in half and whatever, but can we track him at least? If Yama could catch his thought pattern, or if 'Kari could follow his energy, and I could tap his emotions…"

Koushiro merely shook his head. "No, Taichi. It doesn't seem to work that way. Whoever's holding Ken has got him very well secured with all kinds of magic. We won't be able to use our powers alone- or even as an entire group for that matter- to find him."

Earthen eyes rolled and Tai had to snort. "So if we haven't got the juice why don't we just find a juju breaker who can set him free or something?"

"How many vodun priests or priestesses you know would go looking for a bunch of demons?" Miyako's voice was cynical, stern. She knew her fair share of magick workers in Tokyo, so she knew the answer to her own question.

"None," Taichi shrugged. "But we don't know for sure that it's demons that're after Ken and Daisuke. They've been attacked by demons- but who's to say the money sponsoring the whole event came from demon lineage?" All of that said, he paused to take a breath finally as the others considered the matter.

Finally, Ryo spoke up. "No, whomever is keeping Ken, while they might not have been demons, they most definitely weren't human. That much I can tell you for certain."

"I thought you said Osamu dealt with them," Iori raised a brow as he eyed the captive fey.

"He did, but all interactions left traces of energy on him. Children of Earth are very good at sensing psychic energy patterns, particularly from earth related creatures. Humans have a highly distinct pattern. I'm sure she," he motioned to Hikari, "could tell you that. This pattern wasn't human. It… varied from time to time, but it wasn't human."

"So, we're back to square one," Taichi deadpanned.

"No," his sister shook her head. "Not necessarily." Rising from her seat on the couch she crouched in front of Ryo, well aware that Miyako was instantly on alert status the moment the stepped within touching range of the fey. 'Kari knew that if he tried anything, he would be tasting his own blood before he had a chance to blink. "Ryo, maybe you can help me locate them."

The fey hesitated for a moment. "That depends," he replied. "How do you normally track?"

"Through auric projection-"

"No," he said flatly, shaking his head. "I can't do it. Auric energy is air related. That's probably how you could track Ken before. As a Child of Air he could very easily be tagged by his own element. But, since I'm a Child of Earth…"

"We're shit out of luck," Yamato finished. Sighing, he rubbed at his forehead. "Great. Just fucking great."

Jyou leaned over and whispered in Koushiro's ear for a few minutes. While the others watched, the two had a lengthy discussion that ultimately concluded with Koushiro stating, "You're right, it just might work."

"What might?" Tai and Yamato chorused together. After speaking, the blond rolled his eyes while the brunette poked him and laughed.

Jyou turned to Ryo. "Ken, Osamu, and yourself are all part of an Elemental Circle, correct?" When the Child of Earth nodded, he continued. "If you contact your fourth, perhaps you can find Ken through the energy of the fey group…"

"No," Ryo shook his head again. "Impossible." He refused to say any more.

Gennai frowned from his post in the corner. Something was amiss about the fey's response. "What makes you say it is impossible, Ryo?"

Glittering caramel eyes dropped to the floor as he whispered, "It just is. Please don't ask me again."

Stepping closer, the kitsune asked again, voice going darker, thicker. "Why is it impossible? What happened to your fourth?" As he moved towards the fey, the old man's face began to elongate, his ears became triangular, his eyes smaller and darker like polished buttons.

Still whispering, the Child of Earth bit his lip. "I'm not supposed to talk about it. If he finds out he'll… I'll be in trouble."

Hikari reached out and placed a tentative hand on the fey's shoulder wincing when he flinched away. "Osamu isn't here now, Ryo," she said calmly. "He can't hurt you right now."

Finally, he looked up- eyes overflowing with terror. "It's not right now that I'm worried about."

Gennai grew frustrated and let out a growl. It was only a low rumbling in his throat, but it was enough of a threat. "What happened to your fourth?"

Ryo whispered the answer four times before finally announcing it loud enough for everyone to hear. "He's dead. Osamu killed him ten years ago. That's all I can tell you."

***

Daisuke swallowed past his nerves, trying to calm himself. Before him, the body of Ken stood elegant, proud, and distractingly naked. "Your brother, he… well, you see, the thing is he captured me and-"

"How?" Violet eyes narrowed even more still, the fey body radiated menace.

"He showed up at the shop and there was kind of a fight and he took me. Bastard," Daisuke muttered. "I wasn't ready for him to just go all out like that." His words faded away when his memories traveled back to the Child of Water's base. "Ken, it's not important. I got away. I'm safe, that's all that matters."

"No," the voice was cold, caustic. "He tried to hurt you in some way. I know he did, Daisuke. You can't lie to me. I heard you calling out for help. Shit, I _felt_ your desperation." Moving closer he grabbed the other man's chin in his hand forcing him to look up. "What did he do?"

Fear. Panic. They overwhelmed Daisuke in a matter of seconds. Normally, he would have been able to brush it aside. But it was Ken he was dealing with. And the fey was right, Daisuke could not lie to him. "He tried to… he…" Pride caught the words in his throat. Sure, bad things had happened to him before, but the memory of Osamu's touch was still fresh in his mind along with the lecherously unclean feeling of having been so close to that edge of insanity.

However, it seemed that small admission was enough for Ken. "No," he hissed, and it was clear that the Child of Water was not going to live until the next sunrise. The fey pulled Daisuke into his arms to comfort him completely unaware that his rapid change of mood and nudity put the other man in an entirely awkward position. Soothing him a little, Ken was pulled out of a particularly bloody homicidal fantasy by the sound of another voice.

"Ken?" Wallace stood just beyond the edges of the cell. "I noticed that when Daisuke mentioned the shop you looked a little lost."

He thought about that for a moment. Fighting off the mental fog that seemed to have eclipsed him, Ken's body finally nodded. "Yes. I know the shop he's talking about and even the people, but I can't recall why it's important." Still not looking at the ninja, he sighed. "Do you know?"

Startled by this turn of events, Daisuke looked up at the fey in confusion. "They're your friends! You've got to remember them."

Thinking for a moment, the fey offered, "I remember who they are: Sora, Mimi, Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, Iori, Hikari, Miyako, Jyou, and Koushiro. You met Gennai as well. They all have abilities and I know those too. I just can't remember… why they're important."

"Shit," was all Wallace had to say. "I thought this might happen. It's the split."

Dai shifted his gaze to the ninja. "You mean body from soul?"

The blond shook his head. "No. I think Ken created this rift himself. Under other circumstances it wouldn't be so bad, really. But it sounds like he's divided his own memories storing some in his body and others in his soul. In another case, it would prove useful. But right now, it means we're fucked until he can get up enough magic to call back his soul."

Cinnamon eyes blinking at the ninja, Daisuke asked the obvious question. "Well then, how do we go about that?"

Wallace felt his face settling into a weary expression. "The fastest way," he began, and stopped. Shaking his head, he began again, "It's the easiest way, but you won't like it. I know you won't."

"Fuck that!" Daisuke was livid. The ninja held the answers to all their problems- hell, he had caused a few of the setbacks in Dai's opinion. "How? And quit tip-toeing around it!"

Closing his cerulean eyes in defeat, Wallace hesitated a moment before responding. "You'd have to fuck him."

Silence. Pure, complete, unadulterated quiet. Nothing like a direct order to have sex with half a person, a fey technically, to put Daisuke in his place. After a long bout of thinking, and wondering if he had misheard, Dai finally asked, "What?"

"Ken," Wallace said again, "you'd have to fuck him." When that got no response he tried again. "You know, have sex with him, shag him, screw him, do him, fornicate, hit it-"

"I heard you!" Turning away from both men, Daisuke thought for a few more drawn out minutes. At long last, his shoulders slumped and he turned again to face the room. "Not that I wanted our first time to be like this. But if it's our only real option…"

"Well, unless you know how to call a seraphim or even a poukah…"

"A what or a what?" Shocked and confused, Daisuke stared at Wallace.

"That's what I thought."

***

Rubbing at her temples, Miyako fought off an overwhelming homicidal urge. Ryo was most definitely at the top of her People Who Need To Be Mercilessly Slaughtered list. About fifty times. However useful he could have been… in the pagan's mind, that one saving grace had expired hours ago. Everyone in the room was quiet, digesting what the Child of Earth had said. Not even Koushiro had dared to ask a question. And Gennai merely stood, mouth hanging open in a mix of shock and disgust. Deciding to settle things one and for all, Miyako pulled a silver dagger from her belt, rushed at Ryo, pinned him to the wall, and drove the blade in to the hilt just beneath his clavicle.

Ryo screamed. The blade was made of silver, but the wound still hurt- especially once the pagan woman began to twist the blade back and forth within his flesh. "You bitch! What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

A small light of satisfaction began to burn in Miyako's eyes. Behind lenses and wire frames, a tiny spark of something burst. "So, that's where you've been hiding," she hissed. "Still the same disgusting fey who walked into the shop earlier. You're just trying to cover it up by playing the victim." The sadistic smile dropped away from her face leaving it blank and deadly. "What happened to your fourth, Ryo? Tell me. Start talking soon. This knife is silver, but it's the only silver one I've got. Anything else is going to do some awfully permanent damage to you…"

Something hit Miyako away from her target. She fell, rolled on the floor for a split second, and came up snarling, two more daggers out, ready to strike. Jun squared off to the seething pagan, her own copper eyes gleaming. "You just put an enormous hole in my living room wall. What the fuck? You plan on paying for this?"

"There's barely a scratch," Miyako protested. "There's no way that blade went all the way through! If anything there will only be some blood and your walls are painted white- a little bleach and it'll all come right off! Get out of my ass and let me finish what I started or we'll never find your darling little brother!"

The others all drew in a collective breath. Even those who had only met Jun just earlier that afternoon knew better than to say what Miyako had. "You little bitch!" Shrieking, Jun dove at the other woman swatting at her for all she was worth. "Fuck you!" Landing a punch somewhere on Miyako's shoulder, Jun had to laugh. "Fuck you- AND the horse you rode in on!" Her victory was short lived. A hard blow to her stomach put her to the ground. Miyako, however, still had other things in mind. 

Diving for Ryo, she pinned him again. As she retrieved her iron blade she traced another quick set of runes over him before rising. "You'll tell me what I want to know, and you'll tell me now."

The Child of Earth was silent, too terrified to say much of anything. A voice spoke up from somewhere behind Miyako's shoulder. 

"Um, 'Kari, did you know your girlfriend was a complete fucking psycho when you started dating her?"

"Shut up, Taichi!" Hikari stepped closer to Miyako, but once she was within touching distance something swept her. A nauseating wave of violence struck, rooting deep in her core, making her shake. Her legs failed her, knocking her backwards and onto the floor. Waving her arms blindly she pushed into her girlfriend's mind and sensed the same feeling of bloodlust. "Miyako stop," she gasped. "It's a discord curse. You keep going and there's no telling what you'll do." 

Once the words registered completely Miyako's eyes widened. Dropping her daggers she staggered back, away from the fey. Head in her hands she hissed at the Child of Earth, "How are you doing this?"

For his part, Ryo tried to fold his body into the tiniest ball he could manage. "It's not me, it's not me, it's not me…" The words kept spilling out of his mouth. 

Even Gennai had difficult swallowing that. "You can't honestly think that we'll believe you if you tell us Osamu is doing this from such a great distance!" The kitsune's voice was harsh, as if the spell was seeping into his skin. Once he realized what was happening, he too took a few steps back. "By the gods," he whispered, "how is this possible?"

"You mean you've never even seen something like this before?" Koushiro felt himself finally begin to panic. If Gennai had no idea what they were facing, they might as well have started performing last rites.

"It's not Osamu, but it's not me either," Ryo managed to say quietly. "Part of it is…the fourth, and part of it still feels like Ken too. I… I don't know. They both hate Osamu and me so much that I wouldn't be surprised at all to find out that it's them doing this." Lowering his hands from his disheveled hair, he looked up at the group with haunted eyes. "It's not like they mean to, it just happens sometimes."

"Holy shit," Yamato whispered. "You mean, it's the ghost of your fourth?"

Ryo nodded. Seconds later, his caramel eyes began to fill with tears. To him the room began to fade away as memories took its place, until a stern voice called him back.

"They never do these things to Osamu, do they?" Iori knew enough about ghosts and spirit energy to determine what had happened, but he would feel better once his theory was confirmed.

"No," the Child of Earth said. "It's just me."

Nodding, the younger pagan heaved a sigh. "It's as I thought then." A touch at his shoulder made him look up into a stunning pair of bewildered aqua eyes. "He still feels guilty. Earth isn't a naturally violent element. Only the other three are as destructive as this. Earth is known for its nurturing tendencies, its ability to love and care for something. As a fey of the element of Earth, Ryo would feel the weight of what happened to his Circle more than Osamu. His guilt gives the spirit enough energy to feed off of so that it can make things happen." Closing his cool jade eyes, the youngest thought for a moment longer.

Takeru glanced at the fey who was now crouched on the floor. Stooping closer to Iori, he whispered in the pagan's ear, "How long do you think the ghost has been feeding like this?"

Jade and aqua met and danced on an intrinsic level. Iori never had to speak. Obviously, the ghost of the fourth had been following Ryo for quite some time- maybe even before the actual Child of Fire had died, for as long as Ken had been gone. Which would put the activity at close to twenty years, give or take.

Taichi studied the Child of Earth while a dead, heavy quiet filled the room. None of them could imagine trying to live with the guilt of the things Ryo must have seen and done. Unfortunately for Tai, he could feel some of it. While he was far from doling out pity to the fey, he could understand how Ryo would have had no real choice. Emotions carried the weight of not only the one who experienced them, but also the memories of the events themselves. And emotions never lied. Ryo really had had no choice at all. He loved Osamu with everything that he was. Between the choice of being tortured and eventually killed by the one he loved, or standing by him, the Child of Earth had chosen what felt like the lesser of two evils. Tai would have been hard pressed to actually say Ryo had made the wrong decision. If Yamato had given the empath the same options, Taichi would have stayed in a heartbeat.

When Tai finally moved closer to the fey, Ryo met the empath's gaze. "Don't pity me," he hissed, voice thick.

"I don't," Taichi simply shook his head, eyes filling with tears. "I don't pity you, Ryo. You had no choice. No choice at all." Biting his lip, Tai somehow managed to keep what he was feeling on the surface of his eyes. 

Witnessing the exchange, Iori could gather what Taichi meant. If he had had the time, the young pagan would have tried to look at their auras to get a closer glimpse of the emotions they were feeling. Time, it seemed, was not on their side. "Perhaps you should tell us what happened to him, Ryo."

Hikari looked to the youngest from where she was trying to comfort her fallen girlfriend. "It might make you feel better," she added, her voice sad. Miyako would most likely be beating herself up over this for months, if not years.

How could they possibly hope to understand something so big? Ryo felt the years of his life beating down upon him. They pushed at his soul, crushed his heart. At least, Osamu had tried. Literally- Osamu had tried to carve out Ryo's heart years ago so that the Child of Earth would never feel the effects of all that he had done. It would have seemed sick if Ryo himself had not asked his lover to do it. Defeat washed over him as a fresh batch of self-pitying tears fell from his eyes. He cleared his throat…

***

Shimmering, glittering… Ken's soul battled the darkness. Somewhere within its depth, the soul knew the black void that it kept pushing away. Parts of it felt so familiar- yet still so alien. Memories of Daisuke only made his light shine brighter. A stark contrast to the demons that waited for it to break, the soul kept its form- it still looked like Ken in all of his shining splendor and glory. Part of him realized that the comparison was actually quite funny.

Before his brother had sold him, Ken had been raised within his ultimate extended family. The fey existed in two courts, much like everything in the universe- darkness and light. Ken came from darkness. His entire blood related family thrived upon it, lived for it. Osamu was proof enough of that. Yet even with thoughts of his brother's treachery plaguing him, Ken could not find a place in his soul to hate him. While his body held onto vengeance, it seemed his soul had forgiven long ago. Still, part of him feared what would happen once he was whole again. He knew that vengeance was terrible. The power of it could likely overwhelm whatever redeeming values Osamu still had within his soul. It was a very precarious situation. 

If his soul won out, Osamu would probably be healed of all the black dreams and fantasies within. The cost however, was yet to be determined. But, if his body won out… the chances of his brother even living to see another day were slim to none. And the cost for that? Oh he already knew. The cost for killing anyone- nevermind Osamu- would be losing Daisuke. Ken, whether in body or spirit, could not stand the idea of losing Dai. Not when he was so close to finally finding out the truth. 

After years of being told he could never, would never, and should never love… somehow, some way, Daisuke slipped through the cracks. But it was only once Ken was broken into pieces that he realized it. Separately, the body and the soul both acknowledged his love for the Adept, but together they fled from it. Smiling amidst the darkness, Ken's soul vowed to never let go of Daisuke, no matter what it took. He would protect him, he would love him, he would make him whole. And in return…?

A great pain hit him then. Something was settling in, whether it was guilt or shame, the soul could not tell. But something was happening. There were glimpses. Flashing visions of lips, eyes, hands, blood, tears. The images captured a small portion of Ken's soul making the light flicker for a moment. Different emotions dwelled in separate places within Ken. In his soul? Kindness, love, gentleness, happiness, guilt… shame. A tremendous ache spread throughout Ken's soul then. What if Daisuke found that Ken was not what he wanted? What would happen then...? More visions filled him- Daisuke crying, unable to understand the bodies at Ken's feet. Daisuke bleeding because Ken let his own dark side go too far. Ken… crying, hurting, screaming. What would happen then…? Daisuke would leave, that was what would happen. Another shooting pain flickered through Ken's soul. And the light flickered for a moment, then dimmed. No, no, no… Daisuke had to love him… He just had to…

But…

But what if he didn't?

And the light flickered out completely.

***

The Shadow Prince wove his way down the sidewalk. Beneath the asphalt of the street he could feel the Jishin-Mushi scuttling below him. The great fool. Everything had been planned out _perfectly_ and that idiot had to go and screw it up. No matter though. They fey's body was missing, but they still held the soul. Without the soul, it was only a matter of time before the body began to fall into its own darkness- just as it had before. Then, that Child of Air would become the Prince's masterpiece. The thing he had waited a thousand years to make. Finally.

Smirking, the demon walked into a small child completely unaware of stepping on its fingers and toes making the child wail. That is, unaware until the child stood up and kicked him back. A slew of curses that a child should not possibly know flew through the air. The prince could only smile. Perhaps he would not have to wait for the fey. He could begin everything with this one child. A child who _dared_ to touch him with his base, human flesh…

Grinning, like a true predator, he watched a slow look of horror steal across the child's face. Reaching down he effortlessly plucked the small human from it's place- rooted to the earth before him in absolute fear. His voice, when it finally came, was dark, biting, as if ripping through into the child's skin like teeth. "Well, hello there, little one. And what's your name?"

The child's voice was thin, wavering. A cornered mouse watching a mighty python. "Noriko."

"Well, Noriko, don't you just look scrumptious…"

***

Ryo tried to start at the beginning… 

"Originally, the fey had no problems living with humans. I mean, yeah we would trick you and steal from you, but you do that to yourselves enough. But, even while living among the humans the division of the courts has always been a severe thing- even with Elemental Circles from way, way back in the day. The two courts of the fey are the light, the Seelie, and the darkness, the Unseelie. They don't get along." He paused and chuckled to himself. "No, saying the don't get along is probably the biggest understatement ever. They hate each other. At least, they used to. Eventually, things happened and the fey all drifted into their own realms leaving a few of us behind to guard the doorways and just remain as general links to the human world.

"Hundreds of years ago the courts would have found any excuse to go to war with one another. It was only creatures like the Adepts that even held them in check. Without the Adepts, the fey would have no real magick. Of course, now it's taught to every fairie child that personal magick exists no matter what, but that wasn't until way after the last great Adept bit the big one, or headed for the hills, or just went wherever it is the Adepts go when they're tired of the earth. Anyway, she gave us the gift of being born with our own magicks and skills and tried to unite the courts before departing for places unknown."

"Do any of the elders know what became of her?" Gennai's voice was soft, as if far away. Memory perhaps, but also something else.

The Child of Earth shook his head. "If they know, they don't feel like sharing. Not that that should come as some sort of big fucking shock or anything. So, she bid that we all get along and the noble families-"

"You mean the sidhe?" Iori spoke up.

"Yes, the sidhe, the nobles took the task upon themselves." Pausing again, Ryo's eyes flickered in thought. "Well, no that's not entirely true. It was more like they accepted the treaty and decided to delegate its actual implementation to their children. And then most of them waited a hundred years, or sometimes two, before they produced offspring. By that time a lot more of the fey had died. Not by human hands- we really prefer to slaughter each other. Going up against a human is hardly considered a challenge."

"I should think, that by now your kind would have realized that us mere mortals are more of a challenge than you suspected," Miyako finally added her two cents. Her pride was still sore, but it was taking a backseat to the situation at hand.

"Obviously! What we didn't realize then, was that the Adept had blessed a whole bunch of you human-folk with gifts as well. Such as telekinesis, pyrokinesis, touch sensitivity, and so on. Things like telepathy, empathy, and other psychic mojo were already on par with the human chain of events." His words faltered. Of course, having come so far, Ryo knew he had to finish the explanation. But they were only human after all. And they had no ideas of the things he had seen. Although… that again was untrue. The empath seemed to understand all too well.

"So, how does this relate to your fourth?" Takeru's eyebrows were in his hair. "The Adept gave everybody superpowers and disappeared. And then…?"

"Hush, Takeru," Sora spoke after being silent for so long. "I can't imagine it's easy for Ryo to tell us these things. Think about it. Have you ever read of any of this before? We never learned this sort of information in class." Motioning to the fey, she bade him to continue with his tale.

Ryo's eyes dropped to study the floor. "You have to realize that what I'm going to tell you will most likely get me killed. Shit, it could get you all killed." He looked up to see no change in any expressions- even the two without gifts looked at him expectantly. 

Jun had been quiet for far too long. It was eating at her to not push the fey along. He might have looked like her brother, but after a quick rundown of events earlier she knew full well that the very same fey she was trusting now had tried to kill Daisuke once already. "What does all of this have to do with my brother? Why are you after him? Hell, why are all the demons in Tokyo after him?"

Ryo refused to meet anyone's gaze and pointedly ignored Jun's question, though he knew it was a bad idea to do so. "My family, along with Osamu's, was very proud of me. After all, Elemental fey are still a rare breed. However, we lacked a fourth and it was decided by some council somewhere that the union of the courts should finally be put into effect. Our fourth came from the court of light, and that's just what he was- light against so much darkness. Myself, I'm half Seelie, but I was raised in the dark court. Osamu, Ken, and I were all brought up thinking that the sidhe of light were nothing more than spoiled, obnoxious, half-talent excuses for fey. But the Child of Fire… he proved us wrong.

"His name was Michael, and he was a gift from the Seelie court in exchange for a final settling of everything. There was to be peace at last! He was announced as our fourth at some big banquet when Ken was still only a baby. We grow fast and all, but I sincerely doubt Ken even remembers him. Osamu made sure that Michael was never around Ken once his baby brother was old enough to walk. And then, Ken was given away."

"How can you say it like that?" Mimi was outraged. It took all of her own restraint plus Sora's hand on her shoulder to keep her from leaping across the room to choke the Child of Earth. "Given away?! He wasn't just some fucking gift that his brother parted with. Osamu sold him to a bunch of fucking demons!"

"Don't you think I know that! I know that better than _any_ of you!" Ryo was livid, caramel eyes flashing shades of honey and deeper earth tones. "You never had to see the look on his face. He idolized Osamu! And he was only a child; he couldn't understand why his brother was treating him the way he was. Osamu… did things to him. You have no idea what it was like, what he was like back then." He pressed a hand to his mouth. How could he have been so stupid to think that they would understand?

"It's all right, Ryo," Hikari reached out to try and soothe him, but was met with another wave of the discord curse. "Just let it all out." It was all she could think of to say.

"Osamu, he was… he just would do these horrible things. And at the time it didn't seem so bad, but after a while it all catches up with you," Ryo's voice was so soft as to enchant everyone in the room. It was the sound of a frightened child describing his worst but most fascinating nightmare. "He used to cut Ken with different kinds of metal just to see how much damage he could take. Ken just thought it was his brother's way of showing affection. I'm sure he figured out much later on just what it was that Osamu was really doing."

"That's the only part I don't understand," Yamato shook his head. "Why did he do all those things to Ken? Why put him through all of that and then sell him off? Why do it period?"

The tears were back in Ryo's eyes again. Iori had been right- he was wracked with guilt still, years later. "Their parents doted on Ken. They fucking adored him. I mean, come on, a Child of Air? Do you know how much power he has? He could kick Osamu's ass around the block and back! And they knew it too. But so did Osamu. He thought, maybe, if he could just break Ken, free up some of his power. It never worked though, so he sold him. Whoever it was Osamu sold him to the first time, that's who's after him now, and who's after Daisuke too. All Osamu ever told me about him was that he was a prince of some sort. That was it though- after dealing with the demons, Osamu just started to get a little crazier each day. Then he killed Michael and just never looked back. I got so caught up in everything…" Ryo's voice faded away completely. He had nothing more to say.

"How?" Gennai's calm voice broke the trance all too easily. "Fey are infamous for their healing abilities, especially the sidhe. How could he have simply killed your fourth?"

For a long stretch of time it seemed that Ryo was not going to answer. Then he spoke, quite obviously lost in his own memories. "I can still hear Michael screaming sometimes. At night, when everything is still, when the darkness is so thick you think you can cut it with a knife. I can still hear him, begging me, calling out to me for help…" Before any of the others could interrupt him, he continued. "In the space we used to live in, there are a lot of rooms with no windows, so I thought nothing of it when Osamu had me create one more. A special room, he called it. Built with magic to keep everything out- even daylight. He closed Michael in there. It drove him mad. Days and days of no light at all for a sidhe of the Seelie court. He lost his mind completely, ripped out his hair, clawed at the walls until his fingers were broken and bleeding." Swallowing past his own guilt and shame, Ryo kept going. "That was when Osamu began to fill the room with water. Slowly, so fucking slowly, he put out the Fire with Water. It took him so long. It took _days_ for Michael to die like that, even after being in the darkness for weeks on end screaming until I thought his throat had to be ruined." Stopping completely, Ryo sobbed to himself for a while as the others looked on. It was no wonder that the Child of Earth had wanted to keep his secret.

Finally, one by one, the entire group of listeners moved towards him hands held out, arms outstretched. They comforted him. It was Taichi who whispered, "There was nothing you could have done, Ryo. You're a Child of Earth. He would have done it to you too."

That only made him cry harder. "Then why do I still love him?"

***

Daisuke was out of the cell. He paced the length of Wallace's small kitchen. Having lost count of the number of passes hours ago he stopped for a moment to glance at the ninja. "Are you sure that's the only way?"

It almost seemed to upset the blond to admit it. "It's the easiest way right now. We don't have access or time to perform a calling ritual." Hesitating for the barest of moments he added, "I'm sorry, Daisuke. I really am. Things shouldn't have to be like this for you. Ken without a soul," Wallace shook his head.

"He's fucking dangerous with a soul. I don't even know if I want to think about what he's going to do to me if I sleep with him now. Ken, soul free? How do I even get him to agree to this?" Cinnamon eyes flicked over to the pouting form on the couch in the next room. The body of Ken had long since retreated there once dressed and after making a few discoveries.

"That isn't even an issue," Wallace replied. "Remember how I explained that certain magick exists at a genetic level?" When Dai nodded he explained further. "Ken's weapons as a Child of Air come straight from his element. You've probably seen him pull blades from nothingness, right? Well, without his soul he can't do it. Everything else, that comes to him naturally as an Elemental sidhe. But, his soul has the only key to pulling his greatest weapons. The ones that can kill anything."

"Can he get to any of his blades?" Not that the idea made Daisuke entirely comfortable. The thought of Ken deciding sex would be a good time to demonstrate his ability to draw a knife from thin air was more than a little unnerving.

The ninja nodded. "Of course, but it's the important ones he can't reach. In the beginning all the sidhe fought with blades, most of which had special names for what they did. As technology moved along the fey did too, with the exception of the Children of Air."

"Wait," Daisuke broke in. "Children? Plural? You mean there are more out there like him?" For the briefest of moments he allowed his heart to sing with hope. If Ken was not the only one then he might be able to pull Ken away from his brother and fill their circle with someone else.

The blond shook his head. "There used to be others. No one really knows what happened to them. A lot of them have disappeared. Probably because the circles they exist in either died out, or they got along well enough to remain hidden from public view."

"Oh." So much for Daisuke's hope. Something about what the ninja had said struck an odd cord in him though. "What's so different about Ken's circle? I mean, yeah his brother's a fucking nutjob and everything, but why are they so special?"

Hesitant, Wallace glanced at the sulking body of the Child of Air. "They don't have a fourth," he admitted softly.

"Then how can the Circle even be complete? Don't they need a fourth-"

"Osamu killed him a long time ago."

Shoulders sagging, Dai leaned against a counter. "He does seem to have that problem." As he thought for a minute, trying not to fidget in his usual way, he realized there were precious few choices in the matter. Still, he had some unanswered questions. "You said Ken has a sword- one that can kill anything?"

Wallace nodded, face grim. "Yes, and without it he's going to be pissed off. Don't get me wrong, even without his most powerful physical weapon, Ken can still kill humans, demons, and fey a thousand ways, but it would be a serious blow to his pride. That sword makes up a lot of who he is. It was created solely for a Child of Air and he's been the first able to wield it _ever_. One of the original Adepts made that thing. No human hands can touch it and no Child of Air before him has been strong enough to keep it. Ken's the only one."

Cinnamon eyes bulging, Daisuke thought over the implications. "Shit." Silent for a few moments, he added to his profound statement. "An Adept made it for him then. It had to have been made only for him. If I am what everyone seems to think, then it only follows that my instincts would be accurate in this case, right?" When the blond nodded, Dai mimicked the action. "It was made for Ken. From what you've said it doesn't sound like there's ever been a Child of Air, or even a fey as powerful as he is."

"There hasn't been. Not on record anyway." Glancing at Ken again, Wallace let his apprehension fill his eyes, softening them for the first time. "That's why he was chosen to watch you, why he was the only one who could wake your power, and why he's fallen in love with you. Daisuke, when Ken was saying earlier that there's only one being of equal power to you, he was talking about himself. But that only holds true when he's complete. Without his soul, you're stronger than he is. Even if you decide to go through with it and call his soul back, Ken won't be as powerful as you are until he gets his shit together."

The pair was quiet for a while. Sounds filled the space where words could not. It truly boggled Daisuke's mind that he could be the most powerful creature alive on the planet at that moment. After the life he had lead he certainly never felt strong. Too often he gave in to weak desires and cheap thrills. Something like being an Adept required so much responsibility, and he was unsure if he was up to the task.

"No pressure," the former soccer star muttered. Rubbing his face with his hands he gave Wallace a tired look. "So, tell me about this sword. What else do you know?"

"It's called _ShiAtoShi_, Death After Death. Nothing can stand against it."

"Gee, that's comforting." The kitchen was silent again while Daisuke pondered his options. He asked one last question. "Is there a bedroom we can use for some privacy, or do you want to watch?"

The ninja glared at the Adept. "Stop being such an ass," he replied. "I'm doing you a tremendous favor."

Daisuke only raised an eyebrow. "And…?"

Wallace sighed and moved out towards the living room. "And… the bedroom's this way."

***

A half an hour later, Daisuke stood in the bedroom with Ken watching the fey for any signs of the anxiety he felt. The Child of Air had been a lot more than willing to go through with the proposed plan. However, once it came down to the wire, both men were awkward and clumsy. Neither one had been in such a situation before. What exactly was the protocol for a sexual soul calling?

As he cleared his throat, Daisuke glanced around. "Are you sure about this? I mean, there are other ways…"

For the first time in nearly two hours, Ken's body smiled. "My beautiful Daisuke, I've never been so sure of anything in my life." Stepping closer, he eliminated the small space between them and sealed his mouth over Daisuke's.

Discomfort and worry still lingered in Dai's mind though, and he gently pushed the fey away. But as he looked into his would-be lover's eyes, he felt something settle within his heart. It was right, what they were about to do. And certainly they both wanted it. Still, one tiny problem remained… "Ken, you aren't still putting up a glamour are you?"

Eyebrows knit in confusion, the fey blinked. "Just a small one, why? I thought you could see through it anyway."

Daisuke smiled. "So, you do remember some things." Giving Ken a wicked grin he pulled the other man closer still and whispered in his ear, "I want to see all of you, Ken. No tricks or magick, just you."

Air spilled out of Ken's mouth in a rush. Such a simple request, but it seemed so erotic, so unifying. As if letting his power loose would bind them that much closer together. There was a brief shift as the glamour slid away before Ken stood before Daisuke, magically stripped and eager. His smile was tentative. Though the body was the center of lust, it still held his physical heart, and even that one muscle contained an unquestioning love for Daisuke.

"You're so beautiful." Those were the last words spoken before their mouths met again. Moving together they fell into synchronization. Lips and tongues brushing and caressing, they fell into one another, lost to the rest of the world. As if they had been together dozens of times before, Daisuke and Ken quickly moved into the all too familiar pattern of sex…

… Ken closed his eyes and smiled. He knew then, beyond any doubt that he would die for Daisuke- or better still, that he would live for him, at all costs.

They lay together gasping for air as the final traces of orgasm and sex magick trickled through their skin. Daisuke hoped it had worked. Sex had never been like that for him before. It felt like something had changed, and he realized that indeed it had. He loved Ken, he truly loved him. And Ken… he was everything. When he finally managed to move to lie beside his lover, Daisuke reached out and cupped the Child of Air's face as he kissed him. 

Ken, lit at last by body and spirit, whispered to Daisuke, "I love you."

**************

If you think there's something missing… then you're right. For the full on version of this go to: MediaMiner . org / fanfic/ view_ st. php ?id=13523 it's all there! There are spaces in the web address so that it would show up- don't try to copy & paste, it'll go all screwy on you. If you prefer to stay clean, that's okay too. Review or criticize as you would like. ^_^ 


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